


Crystal Memories

by ninnie_eats_chips



Series: Asymmetry [3]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: ALL CHAPTERS CURRENTLY BEING EDITED FOR CONTINUATION PLS HOLD, Angst and Feels, Au Ra Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Backstory, CT G'raha Tia, Canon-Typical Violence, Character Development, Childhood Trauma, Crystal Tower Questline (Final Fantasy XIV), Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, Dialogue Heavy, Drinking, Emotional Baggage, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Female Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), First Meetings, Fluff and Humor, Getting to Know Each Other, Grief/Mourning, Headcanon Backstory, Important Yeet, Introspection, Minor Injuries, Mutual Pining, POV Alternating, POV G'raha Tia | Crystal Exarch, Past Violence, Sandwich Lore, Shenanigans, Slow Burn, Slow To Update, Suggestive Themes, Unresolved Romantic Tension, chapter 10 is a filler basically, mention of other OC's
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-25
Updated: 2020-09-08
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:07:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 35,897
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21563473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ninnie_eats_chips/pseuds/ninnie_eats_chips
Summary: [Following along the events of the Crystal Tower questline. In which The Warrior of Light called Lilium meets G'raha Tia, and the pair form a bond that will stand the tests of time.]Current, Ch.10 - A Weight Off Your Shoulders:‘It is rude to stare, Raha,’ The words of his father reminded him in the absence of judgment when he had fixed his eyes in the same place (though for once it was not for the purpose of protecting him—he didn’t need that anymore).
Relationships: G'raha Tia | Crystal Exarch/Original Character(s), G'raha Tia | Crystal Exarch/Warrior of Light
Series: Asymmetry [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1539757
Comments: 48
Kudos: 81





	1. An Opportunistic Thief

**Author's Note:**

> Aaaaaah FINALLY. This is meant to be the first thing chronologically in this relationship-focused series about my WoL, Lilium~ (Yes I know I already wrote a 5.1 fic, I had to get it out of my system and now I am going completely backwards in time, HAHA). The most main focus being on her relationship with G'raha Tia. :3
> 
> But there will be mentions of a couple others, too. And maybe not all of it romantic...
> 
> This is the first time I have ever written CT G'raha so I hope it's alright, lmao. I'm replaying the questline with my alt char so I tried to do some research at least! 
> 
> Fun fact: while doing the aethersand part with my alt, a FATE boss spawned where G'raha told me to go get stuff, and I ended up having to kill it while being attacked by like 5 other things, LOL.... Naturally I went, "Yes, that canonically happened to my main WoL." Now there's a reference to that in here. xD

He watched her as she sat and rubbed a cloth carefully along the fixture of her staff, legs dangling from a crate of supplies that no one at the Find was making use of. Her ivory-scaled tail flicked left to right as she focused on her ministrations, seeing to it that no pesky speck of dirt or grime clung to the gem inlaid in the weapon. ‘ _What would someone_ — _a heroine such as herself_ — _be thinking of right about now,’_ G’raha wondered to himself, his own tail swishing slowly while he looked up from his journal.

When the Auri finished her cleaning, her eyes met his gaze as they rose from where they had been fixed, making his ears jump up in surprise. Perhaps she’d felt his eyes on her. It wouldn’t have been too surprising for someone like her to have excellent instincts. Or maybe she just happened to look.

Whatever the reason, G’raha lifted his hand and paid her a curt wave and a toothy grin, to show her that he meant nothing ill by his gaze. He had been brought up well enough to know that this behavior was more than often construed as rude. But then, he was never really good at fighting his curiosity.

Her eyes widened slightly as she traded looks with him, not so much as a forced smile to be found on her lips before she looked down at her staff once more. Then away, off into the distance, the staff still resting in both hands on her lap.

_Ah. Apathy._ It was the expected reaction, more or less. Given the bit of a run-around he had given her… and the simple fact that _most_ didn’t take to him, right away. Or ever. But he supposed that someone being nonplussed by him was far preferred to being knocked on his arse (and he had experienced the latter enough in his years).

G’raha wasn’t sure what to make of her, either. So far, the adventurer he’d heard about defied most of his preconceptions. He’d known a few things about her prior to first spying her in the Shroud; one, that she were female. The second being that she was apparently a skillful mage. And the last, that she had been dubbed a Primal-slayer, and even bested a Primal-eating-mega-weapon conceived by the Garlean Empire that had previously threatened to lay waste to Eorzea: a most impressive feat, indeed… But not one he would have expected from the woman sitting no more than twenty fulms away. 

He had never met an Auri in person, he realized. She was Raen, from what he could tell by the color of her scales. A bit on the delicate side, too—why, she was even shorter than he! A rather refreshing find, if G’raha was being honest with himself. He would not have assumed the adventurer was battle-hardened to any degree if it weren’t for the decent-looking staff she carried on her person. The pink hair framing her youthful face didn’t lend to it either, but… he knew that was just him, passing judgement with no base again. He had seen her in action, after all—a show of excellence he could not soon forget. And all orchestrated at his behest.

G’raha snapped his journal shut with one hand and replaced the binding. He had done enough in setting up to chronicle NOAH’s advancement on the Labyrinth of The Ancients, and with the need to know more about this adventurer blooming, there was an idea set in his mind. Most of all, he was long overdue for her _name._

* * *

Lilium’s head turned to the source of crystalline gravel crunching under footsteps, not too surprised to find that it was that Miqo’te again. He had made a grand entrance. That part was unforgettable. His name? Not so much. 

_‘What_ _did he say his name was, again...? Something-Tia. Of the ‘G’ tribe?’_ She was sure it made the hard ‘G’ sound, at least.

_“Adventurer_. I admit, in all my excitement, asking your name completely slipped my mind. And well, given we are going to be comrades for some time, I cannot well keep calling you ‘Adventurer’ with good conscience! Might I ask for your name?”

He wore a hopeful grin. A simple _“what is your name”_ would have done, Lilium thought. ‘Eccentric,’ as Rammbroes put him. And there was something… _something_ about him that she couldn’t place, that made her feel… _off._ But despite his show of mischief, the man didn’t _seem_ to have any particular ill wills, at least on the surface.

“I’m Lilium.” She answered plainly, shifting on her perch on the crate. She was certain she couldn’t provide anywhere near as dramatic an introduction if she’d tried. “And I admit… With all the theatrics, I did forget yours.”

“G’raha. G’raha Tia.” He supplied without missing a beat. G’raha came to lean on the crate.

“Lilium... is a nice name, too. ‘Lily?’”

“Perhaps?” She huffed a breath through her nose and smiled, her brow curling with amusement. He was being kind of chummy now. Her name could not have been all he wanted, could it?

G’raha was left to shrug at her vagueness. “Right! ‘Lilium’ for now, then… Ahem! I have a proposition! While my scholarly colleagues are yet making ready to descend into the Labyrinth following your lead, I say you and I go to Revenant’s Toll.”

Her raised brow was then accompanied by a second. The suggestion took her off guard, to say the least.

“Be… _cause?”_

“Well, we are going to be working closely to uncover the tower’s myriad secrets. I thought it might be proper for us to have an outing so we might better get to know one another. Synergy is key, or so they say! Don’t you agree?”

_‘Do I?’_ Lilium thought, mild irritation beginning to mount over whatever curiosity of her own she had for the Seeker. Though she wanted to give G’raha the benefit of the doubt, for all she knew, this could have been a ploy for him to trick her into doing his dirty laundry. The Twelve would know she had been pulled into a thing or two in the past.

“Don’t _you_ think it a little late to be worrying about making an impression? I haven’t forgotten nearly being killed by that Daedalus thing that showed up to your little treasure hunt!”

G’raha took his lower lip between his teeth. He let out a dramatic sigh, then brought one hand to his hip.

“Still on that, are you? Look, as I may have mentioned, I did not intend for any additional challengers to attempt to usurp your victory! It was a mere oversight on my part! And… for that, I apologize. But clearly we have gotten off on the wrong foot. Pray, allow me a chance to right these wrongs, if you would just come along? What say you, my friend?”

“We're _friends_ now?” She ended up saying out loud. As she looked at G’raha, grinning guilelessly up at her with his tail swishing to and fro, Lilium caved. She knew she might have been shooting herself in the foot (if he didn’t do it first), but she was just too easy. Too trusting, in the end.

“Alright. But no more funny business?”

“You have my word. We shall engage only in _serious_ business, from here on out.”

* * *

“So, what exactly are we doing here?” Lilium followed closely behind G’raha, who seemed to stride confidently into the Toll as if he owned the place. Then suddenly less so, as he slowed his pace, shoulders shrinking, his boots scuffing the pavement as his eyes wandered around from rooftop to rooftop. _More like someone who had never seen the settlement at all._ And before she had a chance to voice her doubts, he finally opened his mouth.

“I told you I would right my wrongs, and I will.” G’raha stopped next to the aetheryte and paid her another one of those cheeky smiles. Come to think of it, were almost all of them like that? 

He continued. “You demonstrated yourself to me and more, and so I will open my coinpurse for you.”

The corners of Lilium’s lips started to turn up. It wasn’t really necessary, but if anything, the gesture showed that he was genuine after all, slowing the sense of disdain he had given her.

“Ah, as soon as I find the proper place to do so…” Her smile quickly melted into a frown, and then eventually somewhat of a scowl.

“I knew it!” She exclaimed, jabbing her finger in the redhead’s direction and making his tail flick up as he whipped back around to her. “G’raha! Are you not just using me for a grand tour?!”

G'raha's hands flew up defensively.

“I’m- Absolutely not! Well, that was not my main intention, at least! I really do wish to reward you for your time! Give this scholar a chance, won't you?” 

She uncrossed her arms, giving in once more to his incessance and waving her on. He would’ve just proceeded otherwise, and he might’ve gotten lost or distracted, and then she would have to explain to that Rammbroes why his historian friend was once again missing in action. That might have ramifications for the both of them. And for all she could tell, they had slipped away unnoticed otherwise.

As Lilium pointed him in the right direction toward the markets, beginning to bump elbows with him as they maneuvered past the travellers communing there, a thought dawned on her. 

“Wait a minute, didn’t you pass through here on your way to the Find?” She tilted her head up toward G’raha, whose thin pupils seemed to not find focus on her for very long, but darted around more like a kid in a sweets shop as he took interest in the wares at the stalls they came upon. His eyebrows furrowed then, and for the first time, she thought she spied a tinge of shame, perhaps, on G’raha’s face.

“Ah, I did. It just so happens that the first time we came through by carriage, I hadn’t had a proper night’s sleep before we came upon the mainland, so… I may have been out for a catnap at the time.”

She couldn’t help but chuckle. Moreso at the wording than anything. It was perhaps that chuckle that finally brought his mismatched eyes to focus on her, and he grinned somewhat sheepishly.

“And when I returned shortly after you, I came with all due haste. Wouldn’t want to be absent for the start of our grand expedition! But a missed opportunity, nonetheless.” G’raha muttered. “And believe you me, as much as we from Sharlayan enjoy spending our days with our noses pressed to a good book, I for one am not like to pass up seeing the sights when I’m able. Long have I waited to see them with my own eyes.”

They stopped at the main array of stalls, somewhere near the center of it all. _Seeing the sights with one's own eyes;_ that was something Lilium could relate to, as she often found herself stopping to take in the breathtaking scenery her journey led her to. It was that which compelled her to become an adventurer, after all. Not that the drab brickery of Revenant’s Toll was much to see compared to the vast crystal-scarred landscape that surrounded it, but she had been the same way upon her first arrivals, being sure to duck through each alley and become adequately acquainted with Rowena’s. And she too had found her nose in books, growing up—especially those with illustrations, as a child. Places she always dreamed of going…

Someone like G’raha would probably scoff at the idea of looking at picture books, she thought. Too simplistic in their nature and devoid of any enrichment, save for the brief depictions of the scene they offered. With the way most scholars spoke, she could scarce imagine them growing up on any other material than an encyclopedia.

G’raha looked back and forth, then once his nostrils flared, he looked at her again with a pleased look on his face and asked, “Hungry?”

Not particularly? She had already eaten a light meal before returning to the camp with the materials asked of her. And she would hate to break it to him, but Revenant’s Toll wasn’t exactly Limsa Lominsa. Not least in the way of available cuisine. Yet, when the smoky scent of meat she thought G’raha was smelling finally caught up to her own senses, she could admit her stomach was feeling just a _little bit_ emptier.

“Maybe a little.”

* * *

The two of them seated themselves at one of the tables up the stairs that overlooked the Toll as they each finished off a pair of skewers. The spot was Lilium’s suggestion. It was relatively quiet up there, and she thought G’raha might appreciate the aerial view it offered. It seemed she was correct. He leaned sideways in his chair as his eyes wandered out overtop of the hub, contentedly watching the other travelers browse and prepare their gear for the road.

As Lilium’s focus came upon the markings below his eyes, she realized what that _off_ feeling was—came to realize that perhaps ‘off’ was not the proper word for what she was feeling in the first place. Uncomfortable, perhaps. And a touch slighted. But not by _him._ Not by G'raha himself.

It was, well… She was reminded vaguely of Jaye; her childhood friend, and another notoriously mischievous Seeker much too fond of their own voice… _Was her friend,_ she thought to herself, and the swelling feeling of betrayal growing into hot irritation made her hesitate before taking another bite.

The pointed markings on his cheeks were like thorns upon a fresh wound.

“I must say, when I heard of your deeds and then I saw you for the first time, you were not really what I expected.”

Lilium’s eyes widened when reality broke through petty feelings, and as G’raha tilted his jaw, the unnatural gleam of his ruby red eye poked out from under his fringe.

_No,_ she thought. The similarities to her old friend stopped there. Jaye was a hells-raiser, in most ways he could be. Although she had known G’raha for less than a day, she didn’t get that from him. And Jaye—he was cunning, but none too bookish. A different person, a different story... The reminder was still there, however. The feeling of wanting to get back at someone she couldn't find was seething behind the subtle effort of getting to know her new acquaintance.

“But once I observed you dispatch those enemies, I was pleasantly surprised. You’re quite a talented mage. Still different than what I imagined, however.” She smiled and shrugged.

“You’re not what I would have expected of a Sharlayan historian, either.”

G’raha finished off his skewer, then poked the stick in the air in her direction.

“Then we are of like minds in that respect, at least.”

“Can’t say I much like the unexpected, however. Or _surprises,_ when it comes to people I have never met burdening me with extra chores.” Lilium paused, a little amused when he opened his mouth to give a rebuttal once more. “I’m just giving you a hard time, now,” She admitted with laughter in her voice and watched G’raha’s mouth shut before riding up into a little smirk. “I forgive you... for- for now.”

“Well, I am most glad to hear it!”

_'Though, whether not I can trust you...'_ Her headvoice added, teetering once more on irritation that was misdirected at the man in front of her before stuffing it away for later review.

Lilium finished off her skewer and laid the stick down neatly beside the other on the table. A few moments passed in silence, with neither of them having more to say. Tails swaying idly, leaning elbows on the table, simply sighing and watching people go about their business on the ground. Then she caught herself looking at G’raha’s bow and quiver leaned up against the stone wall, next to her rod.

“Ah,” She started, drawing his attention back. She didn’t know much about weaponcraft, but there was nothing particularly striking about them. Not that that the bow looked too cheap, but again, she hadn’t the expertise of her own to be sure. Was it judgemental to expect someone of G’raha’s background to be supplied with only the best equipment? Though, Lilium supposed, _a scholar did not an expert archer make._

“You’ve observed me, but... I have yet to see your skill with the bow.” She finally said. “Well… Aside from that boar carcass you left me.”

More than she’d expected, G’raha seemed to animate, swiveling his whole body and leaning forward into the table as he laid his hand down atop the wood surface.

“Oh, that is true!” The corners of his mouth perked up. “Perhaps I shall demonstrate for you, then? ‘Tis only fair, and it would be remiss of me not to prove myself to a friend-in-NOAH—A _heroine,_ no less~”

A heat crept to her cheeks. In all honesty, she wasn’t sure how she felt about that title. As innocently as it was said, was he just playing his cards? _Sod it,_ she could hardly read him.

“F-flattery will get you nowhere—Wait, right now?” G’raha stood up from his seat and was already strapping his weapon to his back. Lilium reluctantly stood up as well.

“Well, we may not get another opportunity like this for a while. You might like what you see...”

Pensively, the Auri bit her lip. She knew they should probably get back to the camp. _However…_ They had already come this far, and would be headed back in that direction, anyhow. Besides, it would be nice to see if the historian had as much gift for archery as he did for the gab and showing off.

She gave him a shrug and took hold of her own weapon. G’raha wore a satisfied grin.

“You may choose my target, Lilium. This time, you can play the observer, and I’ll just… do my utmost best not to disappoint.” There was a wavering on the end of his words that betrayed his previous level of confidence, but even that show of weakness was gone in an instant.

As she re-armed herself, she couldn’t help but notice a gentle hue in the air, wafting in thicker in the distance toward the aetheryte. The fog was rolling in. G’raha took notice too, lifting his nose to the sky.

“The weather might just delay us our descent into the Labyrinth… Ah, but for now, it works to our favor! Pray, let us be off quickly before it becomes more of a hindrance than a blessing.”

* * *

The climate’s strange aetherial fog was thick by the time Lilium and G’raha neared Saint Coinach’s Find, forcing them to slow their steps as the sky darkened and cast an eerie glow over them. By then, she thought it might have been a good idea to call off the hunt and make directly for the camp. But after questioning once, Lilium decided to withhold her doubts. G’raha meant to do this, and she would have been lying if she said she hadn’t wanted to see him in action. If he was half as good as he made himself sound.

She felt confident when she ducked behind a nearby rock and watched G’raha perch himself atop the crags and ready his bow. A gigantoad lurked somewhere below them on lower elevation, and though Lilium couldn’t see the whole of it for herself as she hid, she could tell the Miqo’te’s eyes were trained on his prey. Slowly, silently, G’raha retrieved an arrow from his quiver and readied it on the bowstring, pulled back, and _waited._ He had finesse in this at least, and Lilium could admire the way his arms moved about through the motions, lean muscles taut as he applied the proper amount of stress to the string and held it there. There was a level of grace—a demonstration of patience more like what she had expected of a scholar—though less than she thought to see from this _G’raha Tia_. Even if he missed his mark, she would at least believe he knew archery, in theory.

There was also the fog to account for. His sight was surely obscured. Lilium herself had been markedly gifted with her depth perception by trait, but she couldn’t admit to seeing more than five-or-so yalms ahead of her in this weather. It would take any number of precisely aimed attacks to at least immobilize the toad. That much she knew from experience.

And if G’raha _did_ miss, well… Her fingers were already tight around her staff.

When he finally loosed the arrow, followed by another deftly produced, the suddenness of it all made her blink, and the sound of the second arrow shearing the air soon gave way to a telling thud. Lilium was already smiling, and after a moment of careful watching with his third already nocked for comfort, G’raha replaced the arrow where it belonged and spun around on his heels, both ears flicking joyfully as he gave his vigorous thumbs-up.

“A rousing success, if I do say so myself!”

Lilium stood up and clapped for him while he reveled in his kill, grinning ear to ear. It had been a bit since her heart had pounded with such excitement. And G'raha was... sort of cute as he celebrated.

Just then, a low croak sounded somewhere from behind.

* * *

“... And that is why, with no uncertainty, G’raha—you are to _observe_ and not be in charge of any part of this operation. Furthermore, you will not be participating in combat. Am I clear?”

G’raha’s lips wore a pout and his ears remained on the same plane as his scalp as he attempted to block out Rammbroes’ scorn. Instead of answering proper, he offered a low grumble. At the same time, he held out his forearm while Lilium wrapped the first layer of medicated bandage around. A little clumsily, for she was _clearly_ a better thaumaturge than a medic. Rammbroes sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose beneath his spectacles as he paced away, and when Lilium wrapped the bandage too tightly, he hissed.

“Sorry!” Her voice was smaller now, a notable difference to her shouting at him a bit ago, her thin brows drawn up in a curved line. It seemed she didn’t take well to being reprimanded, either. _Well,_ he was the one who had taken the brunt of it. As he should’ve. It was all his idea, after all. _He_ was the less experienced one. He’d been bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, and eager to prove his worth to someone who was hailed a hero in these lands. _A star of Eorzea..._ Though, admittedly, it was hard to think of her as such. Especially not when she was sitting next to him on the ground, dressing his wounds of his own making.

And again, the way her shoulders shrunk when his compeer’s normally dignified tone dipped and turned to the deep, disapproving noise he knew him to be capable of.

G’raha’s expression softened as he watched her. Lilium was gentle in her work. Adventurer, heroine, or no, she was a cute woman.

_And he’d really outdone himself this time._

“‘Tis- ‘Tis fine…” He muttered, turning his head to one side so that she wouldn’t catch his blushing. “Thank you for the assistance.” As she finished, he twisted his wrist covered with the fresh dressings, inspecting it and finding it decently comfortable. He sighed and slumped forward after. 

“Perhaps it is for the best that my attempt at stealing your thunder go unreprised… For now, at least.”

She forced a chuckle. “You had stolen it for the moment, at least.” Her words brought a smile to his otherwise sullen expression.

“Let us say, ‘borrowed,’ then.” It was her turn to heave a sigh. 

“Aside from certain things, I can't say I didn't enjoy the slight detour.”

G’raha’s ears perked. Of the all the things unexpected that day, it was perhaps one of the least he thought he’d hear.

“Oh?” 

Lilium nodded.

  
“In an odd way… I think it’s just been awhile since I goofed off? So, you know... whichever it is; steal, or borrow me—perhaps you could do it again sometime...”


	2. Birds of a Feather

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A lack of history with anyone would make for a lonely adventure, as she would come to realize... And yet, even with their initial misgivings, in each gesture and smile traded between herself and G’raha as they navigated their way back to camp, it felt like there was more to him. More to them, already.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh man, this worked out a bit differently than I had planned! This chapter is all from Lilium's perspective!
> 
> I kept thinking... is this too dumb? Maybe too cute? Too bad! These are my shenanigans. xD

Given the right circumstances, G’raha could talk circles around her. _And he did._

Lilium had thought the Miqo’te verbose before—sometimes choosing several, more colorful words in place of something more concise, much like another Scion she was struggling to come to know. But after having battled a path through this Labyrinth of The Ancients, she found his words impassioned, with new life breathed into them. Where the others headed back to the camp with a little more haste, G’raha was content to linger and feast his eyes on the marvel that was the Labyrinth. Though that was supposedly only a taste of what was in store for them, he was already practically singing to her the legacy of the Allagans, as if it were his own. 

_“... Plegethon. Not Acheron—“_ He had stated the name of enemy she’d slain with all the accuracy one would not expect from a man who was content to play games with his comrades upon their first meeting. And Lilium was once again colored impressed. It was his life’s work, as he’d stated. And she had just opened the way to what was probably the largest known relic of Allagan civilization. To that end, she sort of wished she’d had the opportunity to fight alongside him. For real, unlike the little misadventure they’d had earlier. She’d known G’raha was disappointed about that… not that one could really _tell_ from the way his tail brandished itself excitedly as he examined the architecture throughout the place, talking her horns off as he went. But perhaps, with him being enchanted as he apparently was to be breathing in centuries-old air, Rammbroes might’ve been right to have him stay behind until the all-clear. Not to mention G’raha was still sporting the bandages she’d applied for him, now hanging loose from the arm he would’ve used to take aim at his foes.

In spite of that, as Lilium did her best to hold up her end of the conversation on the way out, she couldn’t help but think how her adventure might actually be to have someone like G’raha. Up until now, she saw her fellow Scions of The Seventh Dawn as little more than colleagues at-arms.

Though she was getting to know of Y’shtola some, since they’d had more time to bond since the whole business with the Empire came to a fiery end—the woman was rather reserved when she wanted to be. Yda, at the complete opposite of the spectrum, at times hardly allowing for a word in edgewise when she was fired up. She didn’t know a whole lot about Thancred that wasn’t learned over a bottle or three. Urianger? A mystery, and one that she was none too interested in delving into for how many words it contained... And Lilium thought Tataru; _the receptionist,_ of all people, seemed just lively enough. But then the little woman was always made so darned busy that she rarely ever made it for the tea sessions. It was definitely an odd _‘family’,_ as she’d heard the Scions referred to themselves occasionally. More like the type one scarcely saw, except for during some odd holiday. Lilium certainly didn’t have the same level of history together as some of the Scions did. 

The one person who did, was missing-in-action, for what felt like the hundredth time in her life. An honorary Scion himself, who never cared overmuch for unions and comraderie. Who knew what in the seven hells he was up to.

A lack of _history_ with anyone would make for a lonely adventure, as she would come to realize. And yet, even with their initial misgivings, in each gesture and smile traded between herself and G’raha as they navigated their way back to camp, it felt like there was more to him. More to _them,_ already. Because—though _yes,_ he did have quite a lot to say—it still felt like she was included, even flattering herself, playing such a big part in his mission. 

G’raha had a way of looking back when he walked. Had a way of asking her about _her_ experiences, before things became too terribly one-sided. His playful nature kept him the most interesting scholar Lilium had met to date.

And he had some kind of look about him. Whether it was those mismatched eyes watching her whenever she did something, or that grin, or _something…_ she was liking the attention.

“Ah, but what do you think, my friend~?” He asked as he spun around on his heels and smiled at her, tail swishing hopefully as they entered daylight once again.

Lilium thought, she could get used to having a _friend_ again.

* * *

“You’ll do nothing of the sort,” was Rammbroes second, more calm warning to the Seeker when he attempted to persuade him to let him go off on his own for a bit to hone his archery. Lilium couldn’t help but giggle when he crossed his arms and pouted. They needed him here, supposedly. Though he would probably be of some use to Cid, she generally didn’t see it. But G’raha let the disapproval slide off his shoulders once more, eventually retiring to his tent after their meeting had come to an end. As it turned out, he was more dutiful than she’d initially given him credit for.

As dusk was already settling in along with the tiredness that came with fighting one’s way through the centuries-old tower, Lilium was making preparations to head back to Revenant’s Toll to find a room when an idea struck her. She had thought of another friend; a feathered one, whose legs were finding less use these days and more the inside of a pen at the Toll’s stables. His master had taken to walking the shorter distances, especially since the one time he’d found a crystal splinter wedged into his left talon. But some time had passed since that, and perhaps he would enjoy a run. Making a new friend in the process, maybe.

Lilium grinned, then glanced over to the makeshift worktable where Cid leaned over on his palms, poring over a spread of documents next to a littering of the devices they’d used to make various readings on the tower. He had been grumbling something or other to Biggs before her approach caused him to politely disperse, and as her feet crunched on the crystal beside him, he stifled a yawn and looked up.

“Ah, there you are, Lily!” He exclaimed with a little more vigor, scratching at the hairs on his chin. She could tell he’d had a long day himself. 

“Is there aught you needed from me? I take it you’ll be heading back to Revenant’s Toll rather than dallying with us retrophiles?”

Lilium crossed her arms behind her back.

“Actually, I was hoping you might be able to do me a small favor?”

“Say the word. You’ve done plenty for me, helping me get myself back so that I might be able to participate in ventures like these. So unless it would involve breaking more than one artifact of note, I would be glad to hear it.”

She laughed. “No, nothing destructive! I hope... “ Looking left and right, she then took note of any other’s proximity that might disapprove of her plan. Rammbroes was a ways away chatting with another of the Sons, and Biggs had gone off to plop himself down next to Wedge, who had fallen asleep on the ground near the scaffolding. Other than that, there was no one else close enough who was likely to care.

“Are you staying here?”

“Yes, I am. Why?”

“Do you… do you happen to need G’raha’s assistance for anything tomorrow?” Cid’s eyebrow raised and he brought his hand to his chin in curiosity.

“Well, I’ve correlated with the other members of NOAH, and their records reveal there should be a great sealed door at the base of Syrcus Tower. I planned to have G’raha tag along and scout it out bright and early for any functioning mechanisms we ought to utilize.” He paused, tilting his head to one side. An eye carefully darted across the camp, and then back to her. “Though, it sounds like you might have other ideas…?” 

Lilium chewed her lip while he said this, trying to maintain her innocent look even through Cid’s clever eyes. Eventually, she abandoned that and sighed loudly through her nostrils.

“I don’t know him very well, but I don't quite like that he’s stuck here… This feels very much like his element, don’t you think?” Cid gave an understanding nod, then she scuffed her boot on the ground as her thoughts trailed off. 

“Yet, at the same time I sort of understand. Since I started adventuring, I’ve seen what happens to those who come under-equipped. It’s still hard to believe that _I’m_ up to the task, and I know that if I start to doubt myself like I’m wont to do, then I definitely couldn’t trust myself with protecting anyone else! I don't _want_ to have to protect people like G'raha!” Lilium forced a laugh. “But… I know I wouldn’t want to be held back from my calling. I fought my father tooth-and-nail to let me be anything else than a humble fisherman, like he. I was stubborn because I had to be.”

A smile spread on Cid’s lips as he listened. She knew she had spoken her thoughts more openly than she tended to in more recent days, but Cid was one of the few she found comfort in, so far. Part of the extended family, perhaps. Like an uncle who didn’t care to judge. And seemed to read her right, more often than not.

“Stubbornness, is it? I believe you two are of similar minds, in that regard! So… You want me to look the other way while you kidnap NOAH’s star historian, is that it?” 

Lilium chuckled at the choice of words. She supposed that this time _she_ would be the one to steal the archer away for some nonsense, and get to know who he really was in the process. _It was only fair, right?_

“Well, yes. Only for a bit, if you wouldn’t mind?” Cid shrugged.

“Now, for taking a victim as boisterous as G’raha—?” He started, eyeing the dwelling of the Miqo'te in question. “I would suggest that you go near to the crack of dawn. And _do_ try to have him back by- I’d say seven, maybe a quarter-bell before, at the latest. Unless you wish to deepen Rammbroes' worry lines and risk leaving your latest adventure in the hands of another, less naughty adventurer.”

She knew he was joking, mostly. The word 'naughty' didn't suit her, or what she was doing. Still, the thought of the big man so much as crossing his arms in disappointment was enough to make her tail wriggle with nervousness. Rammbroes did already have enough to worry about. At least, she didn’t plan to do anything inherently dangerous, and probably had a significantly better rap sheet than G'raha.

“I’ll be careful. Thank you, Cid.” Lilium waited for his nod, then started off in the direction of the settlement before he chimed again.

“Ah, wait. Do you not intend to tell G’raha of this?”

She thought for a moment.

“You make it sound like he's been clear with any of his intentions up to this point.”

"Touché."

Lilium turned heel to the path.

* * *

Bright and early, as the lamps in the streets of Revenant’s Toll yet lit up the dark and the fireflies that danced around them hadn’t yet settled for some sleep of their own, Lilium crept to the stables with a satchel of treats for her chocobo who seemed pleased to see his master. She had to quiet his chirping so early in the morning, and he had detected the scent of the treats right away. She checked the state of his talons first, and when she found them to be in good shape, she gave up one of the krakka roots in her bag, watching the bird happily munch it down before paying some more petting to his beak. Then she mounted and rode off back to the camp.

Once the set of tents were in sight, she could see a few researchers stirring, so she decided to leave her bird behind a formation of crystal, making sure to shush him and bid him to stay before she proceeded with light footsteps. Out of the corner of her eye, Lilium had caught Cid seated next to his usual place tinkering with some device. When their eyes briefly met, he merely raised his coffee mug and paid her little mind when she craned her head as close to the entrance of a certain Miqo’te’s tent as she could without peeking in.

_“G’raha?”_ She whispered and waited, but could only hear soft snoring when she put her horn close to the flaps. After fiddling with the material of her robe, she hesitated prior to poking her head in just so.

_Thank the gods he slept fully clothed,_ with only his vest, boots, and bracers discarded to the right of his cot, next to a decent-sized pile of books. He was still fast asleep and only his ear twitched against his pillow. It felt wrong to even be looking, let alone the idea of creeping into the personal space of a man she’d only known for a day.

Thinking fast, she retracted, if only for a minute to reach into the satchel slung over her shoulder and produce the other root, allowing herself just one more wink of G’raha’s slumber to set up her aim and fire it inside. It made a notable smacking sound.

_“Ow!_ Wh-”

_“Sorry!”_

Lilium whispered her shout as she popped back in just in time to catch G'raha bolt upright and snatch the vegetable that rolled next to him. His ears twitched rapidly in recoil, and he rubbed his cheek while shooting her a look. She guessed her aim was a little off.

After he had sat up, she noticed his red hair falling down over his shoulders in messy locks, longer than she'd thought without it being tied up in a tight little braid. He had opened his mouth wide to make a remark, but then she managed to silence him with a finger to her lips. 

_“Why the assault?!”_ He heaved back through a whisper.

_“Come with me?"_ Lilium asked, beginning to feel shy looking down at the Seeker in bed. _"There’s someone I want you to meet,”_ Was all she told him before gesturing outside, pausing to make sure he had processed it before withdrawing to wait for him outside.

If she understood him well enough yet, G'raha would follow his curiosity. It seemed she was correct when a series of rustling noises followed. Lilium was spooked at how fast he emerged next to her, sans his bracers and with his hair tied up a little less neatly than it was the previous day.

_“What is it, my friend? Nngh, and so very early…”_ He rubbed at his green eye with his fist and made a face when she refused to reclaim her projectile.

_“Sorry. Bring that.”_

He was visibly wary when he saw Cid, and he became even more suspicious when he froze to raise his hand in greeting and was only met with the same acknowledging raise of his mug that Lilium had gotten. When they ducked around the formation where she’d left her well-behaved pet, she found a bit more light in G’raha’s weary eyes.

“Is this your chocobo?”

“His name is Comet.” 

G’raha approached cautiously, holding up his palm to show that he meant no harm before turning it upside and offering his scent to the bird. Comet, however, quickly turned his interest to G’raha’s other hand that held the snack, and when he sniffed and warked with excitement, the Miqo’te’s ears stood up.

“Oh, I see! You want this, do you?” Comet chirped and flapped his wings when he held it up. In a flash, he had taken it in his beak, making G’raha startle and laugh when he voraciously crunched down, then came back for another peck, and another until the vegetable was gone.

“He’s a little gluttonous. But he’s a good boy.”

Lilium watched as G’raha’s beak scratching was quickly followed up by a nuzzle in return that mussed up his fringe and brought out another genuine laugh that made her shiver. How unexpectedly cute they were as a pair… She would almost be jealous of the idea going so well to plan if, well- _it hadn’t gone so well to plan._

Catching herself staring at her comrade, however, that was not part of the plan.

“Ah, h-he likes you!”

“Hah. I think he likes his master’s treats, more like!”

She giggled, then grabbed Comet’s reins, peering around the rocks to try and spy if more of their peers had woken up. The very start of dawn had begun to crack over the horizon, but the chill of the air still lingered, as did the crickets’ song. Though that would not last for long.

“So…” Lilium started, attempting to grab G’raha’s attention away from her feathered friend before he could decide on his new master. This time, she cleared her throat and was successful. Though the Auri had to shove away feelings of regret to say what she really wanted.

“I thought to ask if you’d like to go for morning trot? Since… you don’t seem to be let off the lead too often.”

His eyes widened, then his brows curled up with the corners of his mouth.

“Ride? With you?”

She nodded.

“You _have_ ridden a chocobo, right?”

“I... haven’t, actually. Only carriages and what have you, I’m afraid. And airships. The latter have been my main mode of locomotion for field research, thus far.”

She couldn’t help but be somewhat stunned while G'raha resumed scratching under Comet’s chin, earning himself a few extra points of affection.

“I admit, it has been high on my to-do list, however. And to ride with you, my friend, ‘twould certainly be an honor!”

Lilium grew sheepish and muttered, “W-well. I don’t mean for you to be a passenger, mind you.”

“You would have me take the reins? Even having just met me?”

“Well, it was _you_ who said we were friends. And you do have Comet’s approval.”

He seemed to ponder it for a moment, then looked over the saddle with curiosity. Ran his hand along the side of the leather seat.

“Very well, then…” 

Looking less than sure of his actions, G’raha climbed onto the saddle with care and Lilium waited until he had finished fumbling himself into a somewhat comfortable position to climb up behind him. Her knees settled on either side of G’raha’s, his tail having to find its place brushing over one of her thighs between them, to which he muttered his apologies. She would have to pretend that having his furry tail draped over her bare leg didn’t feel _at least_ a little funny, for posterity. 

“Can he ride comfortably with the both of us?” G’raha asked.

“Of course!” 

The saddle was more than large enough for both of them given their slight sizes, and Comet was a hearty bird besides. He was by all means a standard chocobo and had easily accommodated the Elezen who trained him. For them? He barely stirred when they clambered on.

From there on it should’ve been smooth sailing— _er, riding,_ Lilium thought. Up until now, G’raha had done most of the talking, teaching; filling her in on the requisite of Allag. Now it was her turn to supply some knowledge, and he listened intently as they began their slow gallop through the Singing Shards.

It was a rocky start, to say the least. They’d said that a bird could pick up on a lack of confidence in their rider, and though a little time at the reins had given her enough experience to forget what it felt like, it seemed to hold true for G’raha. Maybe Comet was used to her. Or maybe it had something to do with the way her arms crossed over G'raha's middle that contributed to the feeling of unease.

Whatever the cause, when he’d suddenly pulled too hard and made Comet nearly bolt upright, they’d both yelped, and that was when Lilium decided to step in.

“Um, here- Let me?”

“Y-yes, please.”

With that, she peeked over G’raha’s shoulder and he transferred the reins into her hands. 

“Maybe put your hands on mine, so you can get a feel for it? Easy, like this-” 

For a number of yalms she demonstrated to him the basics of steering; how to avoid startling Comet by not tugging too soon as they rode slow and careful, avoiding where beasts tended to lurk and the more rugged parts of the terrain. Especially seeing a little less than in the daytime with only the small lamp attached to Comet’s riding vest. 

She could admit, she did enjoy the warmth of G’raha’s hands on her own on a chilly morning. Between that and the heat radiating from his back and tail, it raised goosebumps on her rather exposed thighs. Not just in a cold kind of way. It… it felt a little intimate, if Lilium was being honest with herself. And she _liked_ the way his larger palms squeezed on hers while she moved her hands to guide Comet. She was surprised when the Seeker eventually said something, not even realizing she’d spaced out and was moments from taking them in an unintended direction. Suddenly Lilium was glad for being behind.

“Hm?” Came her voice in a high pitch when she halted the chocobo. G’raha looked back over his shoulder at her.

“I believe I understand now. Pray, let me try again?” A shameful disappointment filled her when he lifted his hands, unleashing the cold air on her fingers once more. She reluctantly let go and let him have the reins once more.

“Oh. Go ahead.”

Lilium found partial relief when she replaced her arms across G’raha’s front, hands grasping at his sides for security in case Comet were to buck or jolt for any reason. She lightly chided herself for the type of thoughts her mind wandered back to as they set off with the Miqo’te’s steadier hand controlling their pace. Like the closeness of their bodies, the warmth of his back. The taut and tense muscles she could feel through G'raha's shirt, and the way his tail curled over her thigh. It was a wonder, whether or not the way it lifted and fell in a light tapping motion conveyed any sort of contentment as they rode over the hills together. 

The whole thing was unintendedly romantic, in a way. Fireflies still sparked while the slight pinkness of dawn was just creeping in, enough to illuminate the edges of the crystalizing landscape in a different way. She said nothing when they gradually picked up speed, instead eyeing the bounce of G’raha’s messy braid between shoulderblades, loose strands falling free here and there. How would it look now, if he hadn’t bothered to tie it up, letting it instead blow in the gentle breeze over his shoulders? Was it soft? Lilium almost wished she was bold enough to lean in fully and rest her head against his back.

_'I'm too tired for this,'_ A hum of a laugh at herself escaped her throat, though the sound was likely swallowed up by the beating of talons against gravel. _“I should know better.'_ But of course she couldn't resist stirring. It'd been too long since she'd gotten so much as a hug, that holding a stranger's back felt so good. Surely, that was the reason for thinking fondly of someone who didn't have her best interest at heart. At the end of the day—or when this business with the tower was finished, G'raha Tia would probably be another arse. He was another who thought there was no 'I' in 'team' until he'd gotten what he wanted, and she wouldn’t care one way or another when they parted ways.

But still, for now, she supposed this small feeling of warmth would be fine.

The speed at which Comet eventually galloped through the Shards, however, was not fine. By the time she had said something, the chocobo was in a frenzy. She had gotten too comfortable. G'raha, too overzealous. They were more than lucky that when Comet reared back with flapping wings, they were only thrown onto level ground and not a bed of crystalline spikes.

… And that the only things fractured were a Miqo’te’s pride, and an Auri's wrist.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My girl catching some feelings, oh no.  
> I decided to leave the ending a little more open this time! Possibly to show a some of G'raha's side (read: Feelings) in a smaller entry. I do have a general outline for this stuff but you know, it all has a mind of it's own...
> 
> Also I included this in a twitter post of Lilium facts, but! She treats Comet more like a pet in that she doesn't like to bring him into battle. She's afraid he'll get hurt.


	3. Fracture

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It shouldn’t have bothered him that much, but… it stung a certain way. He truly was a ‘why bother,' wasn't he? And the name-calling... What a fool, to think that someone like her would deign to be his comrade, or that he might even consider asking her someplace more intimate to get to know her when they were finished with all this. If he was a smart-arse of a scholar, then perhaps she had shown her true colors as the haughty subtype of hero that could be blamed for naught? Had his perception about Lilium been so off?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hooooo boy this one is MEATY compared to what I usually write! So much dialogue, omg pls forgive me. xD  
> I have most of these planned out roughly in advance but you know what, they take on a mind of their own along the way and that's fine I guess?? I've relinquished control at this point. *puts on snorkeling gear* I'M GOIN' IN.
> 
> This is a big G'raha chapter! And that's prob in part why it's so long-winded, lmfao. Tags just got a little wilder.

G’raha was having the time of his life, breezing through the Singing Shards on chocoback with the adventurer’s arms crossed comfortably around his midsection—the warming touch spurred him on, even. He had never quite felt anything like this; _any of this!_ It excited him, and reminded him of the stories of adventurers of eld that he’d grown up with. He could convince himself that he was a hero, and the fair woman at his back was someone he’d rescued from the deepest dungeon… from daemons of the void—no, otherworldly visitors, perhaps. He could do anything, go anywhere. For at this moment, G’raha Tia was a brave and free man, and all the stars were within his grasp. 

He could reach higher yet. _Faster._

...And then, like a tiny kit who'd reached for a branch too high while climbing his favorite tree—he'd come crashing all the way down again.

One minute they were flying through Mor Dhona, the next they were being thrown from Comet’s back like playthings.

For a fortune, G'raha hadn’t fallen onto his previously injured arm. In fact, he wasn’t hurt at all... But that came at the cost of the one who broke his fall.

G’raha’s ears were pierced by a shriek of pain the moment they hit the ground, and rather than idle in his shock over what had just happened like he might’ve otherwise, he couldn’t scramble fast enough to roll his weight off of the Auri and try to aid her in whatever way he could.

“Are you hurt?” He had asked, rather dumbly in hindsight.

“What do _you_ think?!” Lilium launched back as she pulled her wrist in and clutched it close to her body.

From the look of it, it seemed she had tried to brace herself at the last minute, and between the impact of meeting the ground and him falling into her, well…

“Your wrist? Let me see—”

“No!” She spat at him, batting his hand away when he reached out to her, then hissing in pain. He had never seen her look quite so angry before. Annoyed, perhaps, but not like this. 

“You've done quite enough!"

For some reason, that struck a chord. He was only trying to help. His brow came down in a firm line.

“Wha-! _Me?_ Now, hold on- If you are looking for someone to blame, then I would thank you to turn your attention to your downright _wild_ chocobo!” G’raha jabbed his finger in the direction of Comet, who was still distressed and flapping his wings in place.

He looked nothing like the cheerful steed that he'd fed at the camp now. Would've mistook Comet for a wild bird, sans his equipment.

An attacked look came over Lilium then. What he said only served to make her angrier, as if G'raha had called her wild instead.

“Do _not_ blame Comet! You’re the one who put him in a frenzy!” 

He moved away from her and stood up to brush the dirt from his pants. She would have to get up herself, since she didn’t seem to want his help.

_“... Am I?_ ” G’raha turned his back to her, feeling only marginally bad when he saw her out of the corner of his eye trying to lean to her undamaged side to get up, and failing. “Mayhap the poor thing wouldn’t be in a frenzy if you had let him run more often. Am I correct? That would be up to _your_ responsibility as a rider?”

“Now you’re an expert on chocobos, too? … Fine. I don’t even know why I bothered with someone like you. You’re just another smart-arse scholar who thinks he knows everything.”

He opened his mouth, ready and willing to let the next witty thought fall from his lips, then shut it again, sighing exasperatedly through his nostrils. Against his own stubborn brain, he was about to turn back to see if she’d gotten up when she was already adjacent to him, moving to tug at Comet’s reins and soothe him.

It shouldn’t have bothered him that much, but… it stung a certain way. Some way that was much deeper than coming out of the mouth of someone who was upset and hurt.

He truly was a ‘why bother,' wasn't he? And the name-calling. What a fool, to think that someone like Lilium would deign to be his comrade, or that he might even consider getting to know her more intimately one day. If he was a smart-arse of a scholar, then perhaps she had shown her true colors as the haughty subtype of hero that could be blamed for naught? Had his perception of her really been so off?

_‘Why in the seven hells am I so worked up about this?’_ G’raha thought to question himself, finding only more irritation. In hindsight, the situation could have been worse. Much worse. Maybe it was because it was not entirely to do with her, but...

“Tch.” He made a sound with his teeth, drawing a look at him back over her shoulder. He knew better. He knew that would draw her attention, as it had only drawn the attention of those who would assail him in adolescence. It was the very behavior that had earned him his share of knockings. And maybe _she_ wouldn’t be one to knock him down, but her soft eyes clearly betrayed the sharpness of her tongue. 

Would she prove him correct with a lashing? _‘Scholar’s curiosity,’_ he thought snarkily.

“You _do_ realize this was your idea? An idea which could hurt my accountability just as well as yours?” He asked, to no response. Just a look growing from guilty to dirty, as Lilium had finally wrangled the chocobo under her control. G'raha's voice had already hushed, but retained a darkness he didn’t like. He was already asking the better part of his conscience to stop and let the needless confrontation die.

Subjectively, G’raha knew that words could hurt, and he probably would hurt her if he continued in his irrational state. Objectively, he had already right pissed-off the keys to his castle, so to speak. But in this moment, he just couldn’t bite his own tongue.

“I would suffer your reasoning for it. Just- just what were you looking to gain from me? Perhaps some coin? Another medal? And I had thought you a kindly woman. A fool’s mistake, truly!”

He clenched his fist when he said it, nails digging into his palm and pinning his ears back so hard it was uncomfortable. He’d heard Lilium's appalled gasp somewhere along his final tirade. He hadn’t even looked at her when he said any of it. If he had, she would’ve seen the sorry look that never left his face and he would’ve been inclined to apologize immediately (and he knew he should’ve).

_‘Brilliant. Now you truly are the smart-arse,’_ He thought.

This wasn’t him. This was a cheeky, teary-eyed brat that he thought he’d left with his tribe.

“I-” Lilium seemed to start, and for a minute G’raha hoped she would continue, if only to say something thrice as accusatory that might have lessened how bad he felt.

But she didn’t finish. She only returned her attention to Comet, and then after a long, solid pause, he heard talons marching off to a beat, leaving him alone in the field.

* * *

As G’raha returned to the camp with heavy feet, he expected to catch foul wind from someone—and quite frankly, at this point he didn’t care, as the only thing occupying his mind was apologizing to Lilium. He had been way out of line with his last comments especially. No matter how asinine his attempt might look from another’s perspective, he meant to set things straight.

Even with his sluggish pace however, the sun had only just risen, bathing the camp in its warm glow, and it seemed as though anyone of relative importance to his daily tasks were still asleep.

His eyes wandered to the pile of smouldered sticks and stones that had been the previous night’s campfire and thought of how Lilium knelt next to him and wrapped his bandages when there was no medic available. Then he looked to the larger of the tents being used for as an infirmary, supposing she would likely be there now. She would need a conjurer to help speed along the healing if she had sprained it or worse, and—

_Twelve take him,_ he’d asked her if she wanted a medal…

Comet’s distant whistle caused his ears to swivel, and G'raha turned to see the bird tied up to the hitching post next to a pair that belonged to the Sons. It seemed he was receiving his morning feed and was looking no worse for the wear.

_‘At least you seem to be in higher spirits,’_ G’raha thought, he would have to pay Comet his apologies later, too. Maybe with another snack when he had the chance to procure one.

Suddenly Cid had ducked out from the large tents and was headed toward him with a quizzical look on his face.

“Master Garlond…?”

“G'raha, what in the world happened while you two were out?”

G’raha frowned.

“Did Lilium not apprise you? Is she alright?” Cid shook his head slowly to the first of his questions.

“When she first arrived without you I was more than a little worried, but her lips were sealed. Though she _did_ apprise the conjurer… and Rammbroes. Which I was privy to.” When he paused, the Miqo’te felt some dread. Moreso for the situation in general than any worry he had for his own hide.

“That’s to say, she told them _tall tales,_ G’raha. And looked none too pleased while doing so… Now, being myself, I’m just trying to engineer what could put such a scowl on the lass’ face. I’ve not seen the one since she last threw up on the Enterprise and we told her she had to get back on! … Ah, but it was nothing too serious. Just a fracture.”

_‘A fracture,’_ He thought. _‘Near enough to broken, and yet she would still supply tall tales in light of all I said to her?’_

Damn it all, she did deserve a medal. He could only hope one of the Sons would excavate one, so he could give it to her.

“I… got a little carried away, you could say. ‘Twould seem I am a most inexperienced rider.” G’raha’s brow curled ashamedly as he began to shield himself from the morning light. “And to quite literally add insult to injury, I happened to forget myself and said a fair number of things I wish I hadn’t.”

“Ahh, now the pieces fit. And if the latter is the cause of her sour look? That’s a fine mess. You owe Lily a drink or two.” 

“That may not be a bad idea."

“One for the pain, the other—” Cid began to mumble, “As a bygone friend used to say; to pour out when she leaves you… I would recommend a Gridanian shiraz. She does like the type.”

G’raha blinked at him for a moment, letting his mouth hang agape and then tilting his head to the side while he tried to posit what Cid was getting at. 

“That’s… rather specific? But thank you for the recommendation. I think.” He shook his head and blinked once more. “For now, I can only pray my apologies will be enough.”

“Go on.”

As Cid motioned him on, he sighed and went toward the makeshift infirmary. When he peeked through, he tried not to make his entrance overly known at first, but all present seemed to hear the light shifting of fabric and turned their eyes to him at some point.

Though the patient he’d come to see only took a cursory look before shifting her eyes to the floor.

“Oh, G’raha.” Rammbroes said, rather innocuously, confirming that the man did not know the whole truth. 

“Good… morning.” He replied slowly.

He tried his best not to look as awake as he was for the time, and was feigning his own ignorance while he watched the conjurer finish placing the splint on Lilium’s wrist. It felt sort of wrong to pretend in front of the one who had fibbed to protect his already questionable reputation, but then, G’raha supposed she could oust him right then and there if the mood struck.

“You look perplexed. Rather unfortunate, indeed. ‘Twould seem a minor accident befell our friend on the road this morning, leaving her wrist in rather poor form. Unpredictable creatures, those chocobos.”

_‘The only unpredictable creature here is_ **_me.’_** _G'raha_ had half a mind to say. But in doing so, he would have been undoing her carefully fabricated lie, and that wouldn’t have been favorable either.

Rammbroes grunted as he got up from his knee where he had knelt to overlook the conjurer’s work. As he came by G’raha on his way out, Rammbroes' large hand clapped over his shoulder.

“Let’s carry out our research without burdening Lilium today, shall we?” He might’ve been asking genuinely, but a part of him read it as somewhat of a jab following the rest.

“Please do what you can to assist her while she recovers.”

G’raha’s eyes met with hers finally, and he smiled weakly at her. 

“With pleasure.” 

Lilium’s brow furled itself as she kept her lips in a solid line. It seemed like she couldn't decide whether she was angry or saddened. Though he thought she had the right to be both. The moments in which he waited by, tail swaying nervously as nothing was said while the conjurer applied her healing spell, it felt like far longer than it probably was. Then finally, just as he had cleared his throat in awkwardness, the Hyuran healer stood up with her pack of supplies.

“I’ve applied a regeneration spell to the fracture. You should start to see some change within a few days to a week, but it may still be sore for some time. I’ve heard you’re quite the busy adventurer, but do try to avoid putting stress on it once we remove your splint, if you can.”

“Thank you.”

G’raha waited until they left and then released a deep sigh before approaching and seating himself on the small bench next to Lilium. That didn’t seem to elicit any sort of response, but when he grabbed her dominant hand—the uninjured one—her whole body seemed to lurch to the side, her tail flying up into the air.

_“G'raha—!”_

“You have my sincerest apologies.” He interrupted as he held the Auri’s hand firmly in both of his. He wanted her full attention, so that he might convey his genuineness through his body language, should his words fail to suffice.

“After all the kindness you’ve shown me in the past—why, _less than two moons!_ I believe what I said to you was reprehensible by anyone’s standards. Truly, I-I know not what came over me, my friend—If I may still call you that. Or rather, I allowed some old emotions to get the best of me. Things better left in the past, I’m afraid... But I assure you they were not meant for you. So, please…?”

He looked into Lilium’s strange, ringed eyes and smiled sheepishly. She seemed to think about it, her eyes flashing down to their hands and then… was that a blush he saw on her cheeks?

“You’re not just worried you’ll have to find another adventurer to plunder your tower?” Lilium’s voice was soft, and to his joy, it seemed more of an honest question than an accusation. He shook his head, chuckling at her use of ‘plunder.’

“No! Well, the thought crossed my mind, yes. But I could wait a hundred years and I think I would scarce find a better adventurer than yourself! Nay, a- a friend. Though we have only just begun, I feel like I could learn much and more from you, and… If you’d allow me the chance, I would know more of _you?_ _”_

The heat that had gathered in their hands finally managed to creep up G’raha’s neck. He was suddenly embarrassed of how his tail lashed left to right. He would have to learn to _still that thing._ Especially when a smile turned up the corners of Lilium’s pink lips, and— _goodness, she was cute when she smiled._ They were awfully close. He hadn't entirely worked out this apology, had he?

G’raha finally released his grip on her, and her fingers slid from his slowly enough that it left a tingling feeling in his stomach.

“I… didn’t mean to yell at you, either. I was just upset. I didn't mean any of what I said. I’m sorry.”

Her apology came as somewhat of a surprise. He didn’t think he really deserved one, but it felt good to have nevertheless, if only to soothe those old, accursed wounds.

Lilium added, “And for blaming you for Comet, too... His caretaker, they- they told me he’s a little younger than most. He could probably do with a little more training. But that doesn’t really erase the fact that I should’ve watched you more closely. I was—” She shifted then, looking away from him. _“... Tired._ And I wasn’t really paying attention. I guess I was enjoying myself, not having to think about where I was going for once.”

“Heh,” he breathed. “You could say I was caught up in the moment, as well. Ahh… With the bracing wind on my face, I could swear I was an adventurer! But I thank you for the opportunity.”

There was a long pause, and then Lilium gestured toward his arm.

“Well, it seems we’re even on the injuries, now. I suppose it’s not an adventure unless someone gets hurt.”

G’raha chuckled. He’d forgotten about that one again. ‘Twas really a scratch by comparison.

“Is _that_ how it works? Then I suppose I should be glad that I am a historian and not a real adventurer! Though I’d like not to see you hurt again, if it can be helped.” 

Lilium nodded. “I’ll try.”

As she stood up and G’raha began to follow, he had an idea as he held the opening of the tent open for her.

* * *

“So the door…?”

“It would not give.” G’raha answered plainly, leaning his back against the chocobo on the ground with his arms crossed behind his head, to the sound of a soft _‘kweh.’_

“Not to any brute force. And certainly not to any amount of tinkering around the Labyrinth. Though we did locate what _appeared_ to be a manual control panel and managed to dump a full set of supplies into a cesspit, if that counts for anything.”

Lilium frowned out of the corner of his eye. At the other end of the campfire, Cid made an exasperated sound and rubbed his work-worn hands down his face.

“That we did, godsdammit. And some of my tools were in that satchel.” G’raha braced himself, realizing what he’d just unraveled for the second time.

“Some of those were _unique_ Garlean-made tools, from a set I had since I was a little one! Sentimental value aside, I’ll have to have one of my own draw up new schematics just to replace them and pray that the good smiths of Ul'dah don’t muck them up like the last time. I tell you, they just don’t make a quarter-ilm—”

G’raha squeezed his eyes shut with a weak smile and tuned the man out, shifting as he tried to find a more comfortable position settled into Comet’s side. _Was this what he sounded like when he prattled on about Allagan civilization?_ If it was, perhaps he ought to apologize for that too.

He rolled his head to the side, opening one eye at first to see Lilium seated with her legs outstretched in front of her, one crossed over the other as she was forced to listen to Cid’s complaints, looking none too interested herself. After a moment, his gaze had crept unwittingly back down to her legs before he realized it and felt warm. What was worse was that Lilium looked back at some point, leaving him to force his eyes somewhere else, as if he’d never been looking at all. He’d never once stopped to question her choice of adventuring gear; a pair of thigh-highs connected to rather revealing bottoms by small clasps—and her long robe only covering her sides, leaving little to the imagination at her front and backside. But, well… plenty of heroes made a statement with their choice of dress, did they not? She certainly looked the part.

As ungentlemanly as the thought process was, G’raha couldn’t seem to stop himself recalling that those same, thin pair of legs had been on either side of his own earlier that morning. And he certainly tried _not_ to think about the initial shiver he suppressed when he’d accidentally _brushed his damned tail right over them_ . Not that it had many other places to go. _Oh, that flustered him…_ And when she’d hugged him from behind, it was all the more difficult to still his tail.

Friendly or not, no one had ever touched him in such a way. Most definitely not someone he had come to admire. It was an odd feeling, but to say it made him happy would’ve been an understatement.

“... But, at the very least, I am glad to see the two of you cooperating. It will definitely make our operations go more smoothly in the days to come.”

His eyes widened as he realized he’d been zoned out long enough for Cid to finish his rant about his tools. G'raha grinned up at the man as he stood, and then to Lilium beside him, exchanging amiable looks.

“In-indeed!” G’raha found himself flushing slightly, given some of the more shameful thoughts he’d just been having about her. 

“And we have only just begun. We will open the door to Syrcus Tower ere long. Mark my words, Master Garlond!”

Cid gave a pleased nod as he brushed his fingers over the hair on his chin.

“Well! I will be retiring for the night, then. History isn’t made in a single nightfall, but we will need every last one of our wits if we hope to continue.” As the clanking of glass and metal was heard from the distance, he turned to see.

“Though it looks like the drinks are about to come out. Feel free to enjoy yourselves! Perhaps have one for me as well.”

Lilium bid Cid goodnight to the polite wave of a hand before he left them alone. G’raha was surprised that he didn’t stick around for at least one drink before bed, but for now he was glad to have the Auri’s company. Most glad that he’d even convinced her to stay at the camp for the night with aught to do but trade stories while they worked at jiggering the door.

He lowered his arms and leaned forward then, peering around a grouping of tents while he strained to see the members of NOAH in question producing large quantities of mead from a crate they’d likely purchased at Revenant’s Toll. He himself didn’t partake of alcohol too often. But perhaps for all of the buzz surrounding the tower despite their earlier failure at budging the door, G’raha was in the mood.

He turned to her and asked as he begin to stand, “Could I get you a drink, mayhaps? ‘Tis no shiraz, but...”

Lilium gave him an odd look, then shrugged. “Sure, why not!”

* * *

He sipped slowly from his tall mug and smiled, listening to his adventurer friend tell him about herself. She fielded his questions one-by-one, for the first time talking at length about herself with the gentle glow of alcohol on her cheeks. They had both huddled against the large bird now, equal parts close and respectfully apart while Lilium gestured with her hands.

She had been born in the Far East, as G’raha expected. Though, in line with her mannerisms that were very much Eorzean, he learned that she’d grown up in Limsan territory. When she told him how she could’ve turned out to be a fisherman like her father, or even a tailor as she had been leaning towards, he couldn’t help but be somewhat amused. Somehow, it didn’t really suit her. He wasn’t surprised at all to hear she’d been receiving unofficial tutelage in the art of thaumaturgy, given her skill. Nor her tale of wanderlust; her desire to see the world with her own eyes and chart her own course as she went. Though she admitted she did not always seem to know what that was, and… perhaps it was good to know he was not the only one who thought of his destiny on occasion.

“Ah! So do you like to weave, then?”

Lilium seemed to ponder it, cradling her drink in her uninjured hand while gently running the slender fingers of her other along the rim.

“I mean, I think so? To be honest, I’ve only just started. I bought my needle and thread as well as some yarn just after we laid that Garlean disaster of a weapon to rest. After that, I had enough to purchase a small cottage in the Mist, and only then did I have time to play with hobbies... The constant threat of primals has kept me on my toes! So I guess I… still haven’t really found my niche, yet.”

“I see…” G’raha frowned as she pushed out a sheepish laugh.

“What about you? What are your interests? Aside from Allag, I mean.”

_“Oh,_ uh-” He laughed, sitting up straight. What a strange feeling, being asked about himself. He hadn’t anticipated that at all, and with his rather low tolerance to the mead, he was taking a bit longer to pull up his answer. Eventually it reached him.

“Well, I quite like to sing! And I play the lute, as well.” 

G’raha was rather proud of that fact. And to see his friend light up with almost childlike interest only tickled him.

“Really?! _You?!_ Do you have the lute with you? Can I hear?”

He flushed. The requests for his song were always something he expected when he shared his hidden talent. But at the moment, with the time it took just to bring it up, G’raha was full aware of his, ah... _inebriation._ How that might displace his fingers, no less. 

He _did_ give it consideration. He hadn't played one-on-one for someone since he left Sharlayan to come to Eorzea. But as he consulted with his mead once more, taking a large swig and feeling its bubbly non-messages being sent directly to his brain, he was decidedly not up for it. Couldn't quite think of a song that was worthy.

“Mm, perhaps another time, my friend.” G’raha held his mug in the air in the absence of words and beheld the look of disappointment on her face. “Do remind me. I promise I will sing for you ere we are done! Or I’ll, ah… dedicate one to you upon our victory, perhaps?”

She smiled warmly into her drink and he could hear her soft breaths puff into the mug. 

“I’ll hold you to it. I’d love to hear~”

As time went on and the two of them talked and filled their glasses once more, the usual chill of the night gave way to the warmth of intoxication dulling his senses. As the Miqo’te absentmindedly stroked Comet’s feathers while he slept, he took note of his friend’s shivers in between her head lolling off to the side as the clutches of sleep started to take her. He could not help but grin.

“You’re still cold?”

“Mm… I hate the cold.” Was her flat, sleepy response, furling her eyebrows as Lilium squeezed her eyes shut and rolled over onto her side. “Always cold… Hated Coerthas… Hope I don’t hafta go back there.”

A quiet laugh bubbled up from him at the unsolicited information.

And he thought that _he_ was a lightweight. Why she didn’t just go inside to sleep was beyond him.

G’raha began to think to himself, merely glancing, avoiding staring through glazed eyes. 

_Perhaps if he were slightly more bold, he’d simply throw his arm around her and nod right off..._

But this was not the time nor the place for that, and he had just enough of his wits to remember that he wasn’t that sort of man. He was a historian come to finally uncover the lost knowledge of the ancients, not foolishly fall for the next adventurer to lay their hands on him and—

_Oh._

Lilium had scooted forward and only then did G’raha realize just how _hot_ her face was when it fell right against his shoulder.

_‘Well. Whatever...’_

With a sleepy grin, he let his head fall back against Comet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was worried about being OOC, but with G'raha's implied past, I thought he's got to have a few of his own buttons. And y'know, sometimes somebody just yells at you and you get irritated and yell back and that's it! Lol, if it seems like it's blown out of proportion, it is. And that's why it'll be a funny memory to them someday...
> 
> Luckily, they both SUCK at holding grudges (imo)!!
> 
> Thank you for reading! <3


	4. Link

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lilium’s fingers tapped on her knee, threatening to touch her linkpearl and check up on the situation once more. Though G’raha would have likely rung her once they succeeded, and not a moment more, she thought sheepishly of hearing him anyway. It had been days since their last contact, she justified. And her thoughts hadn’t been in the most pleasant of places anyhow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a lot of second thoughts writing this chapter, but in the end I was happy to keep it! You may see it as filler, since not much at all happens in the way of actually -building- Lily's relationship with G'raha here (heck, he isn't even there!). In fact, it's totally skipable if you don't care much for backstory, lol! But it's like.... it shows more of what mindset she was in when she met G'raha, I think. Contemplating where her journey was going and what she was really there for... She was rather lonely, tbh.
> 
> CW: this chapter is a little darker, focusing on The Waking Sands getting attacked, so death and survivor's guilt are a theme.

Lilium grunted as she lifted the cargo from The Waking Sands up into the wagon, being careful not to shift the weight onto her previously injured limb. It was an awkwardly shaped object, whatever it was—not overly wide but long and heavy, and wrapped with many thick layers of cloth to protect it. Some sort of artifact, or maybe even weapons. Most of the items were obscured in such a way, stored either in crates or sacks, and she hadn’t been told what each one was, let alone anyone else. Not that she cared _too much_ what was inside, but Minfilia had gone as far as to decline to comment on a couple she’d asked about, and it was the secretiveness of it that felt a little funny, given she was so often referred to as the Scions’ “champion.” 

But the title was just that; a title. It didn’t make her privy to any additional, useful knowledge she could apply toward her own duties as a Scion or otherwise, and certainly no _dirt_ on the inner-workings of their organization just for the sake of it. At the end of the day, Lilium would have to remind herself that it wasn’t personal. _None of it was personal,_ as whether her tasks found her doing average chores or tackling questions of morality as she felled another Primal, a job was a job.

Of course, it surely went without saying that some manner of secrecy was necessary to protect the Scions’ assets… _especially_ in light of the ransacking visited upon them by the Garleans a few months ago. 

And then there was the Ascians that seemed to pop in and out from seemingly nowhere whenever they damn well pleased. That was heartening.

Once she’d gotten that last thing into the wagon, the Auri took a step back to look over everything that had already been packed inside and let out a slow, deep sigh.

The process had only just begun. There was still much that had to be transported to Mor Dhona for the Scions’ new affiliate-free base of operations, and Lilium knew that what she was looking at only scratched the surface. She was also aware that that it was not all on her. That there were others dedicated to the manual labor. That in fact, she hadn’t been asked at length by Minfilia to do anything more than _be gentle with herself._

Lilium knew that those few, kind words had entailed much more than just monitoring how many chores she took on.

_“Thinking about something?”_ The Highlander had asked her, shortly after they’d finished discussing the activity of the local beast tribes. She had let her eyes drift to the floor and linger there for far too long again. Something she did subconsciously, and often, whenever she had to visit The Waking Sands. It was the antecedent herself who made her aware of it.

It was hard not to think about it; that blood once pooled on the floors after what she could only describe as senseless carnage, after the Echo of it had forced its way into her mind. Minfilia thought about it, too. Contrasting with her, the event was one of the factors that had stalled the decision to go in the first place. 

_That_ _spot,_ right in the middle of the floor in The Solar… That was where Noraxia had bequeathed to her the memory of the tragedy. Lilium had been so green at everything, and one witnessed death turned to _ten_ in no time flat. A handful of other Scions—the names of some which she had never learned to remember—had ended up as nothing more than a pile of bodies poised to become property of the local lichyard. The nightmarish scene had stained the memory of this place. The faces of the dead continued to haunt her, and every time she returned there, she was afraid she would be held captive by her emotions and simply be pulled back into an Echo of that day.

Fate—or more specifically, _the Echo_ —had for some reason dictated that she had to relive the whole thing as if she had been there, too. What was the sense in it? And, if it was all by grand design, then what sort of ‘Mother' forsook so many children in favor of one...?

_She could have been there. She could have died too, and why not?_

And if the sorrow and guilt were not enough on their own, she couldn't forget how, instead of helping to take Minfilia back from Castrum Centri, Jaye had supposedly _known_ of the carnage left behind—had been there at some point before the bodies were cleared, but decided to leave. Decided _not_ to stay and provide aid to their fellow Scions. Decided _not_ to comfort her in her time of need, when the panic attacks came and went. Didn't stay to protect those who feared coming back after what happened...

As a familiar knot began to tie itself in her throat, Lilium shook her head as if to chase the thoughts away, and turned to face the horizon.

Minfilia’s words had been well-meaning, of course, but not helpful. Something standard about needing to grieve, to let feel and lay all of one’s hurts out on the table in order to move forward. Said she knew something about what it was like to feel guilt, and to _feel lost._ Though that was sometimes hard to believe when the woman seemed to take solace in the role that she played.

Lilium had smiled weakly at her, and thanked her. There was no reason to feel malice toward someone who was only trying to soothe a friend. But in the end, it wasn’t her place to say. When she'd brought up Jaye and the prospect of making contact with him, she told the antecedent not to bother. She told her to respect his privacy, through gritted teeth, even though a part of her wanted to smash his _'privacy'_ to bits.

In the end, Lilium didn’t like to hurt, or be hurt. And she certainly didn’t want to cry anymore, so… she didn’t.

It would’ve earned her naught but forced sympathies and made her less productive. Perhaps that was why she’d resolved to helping out the hired hands and tossing her own share of the Scions’ junk into the wagon, until the searing heat of discontent fell along with the Thanalan sun. Everyone had their own way of sorting their baggage, and for some, simply leaving it be was the best way to go.

The transition to Revenant’s Toll would be most welcome in learning to _leave it be,_ Lilium thought. Though her comrades had made it clear it would not be the last they saw of the place, any amount less of Vesper Bay was ideal. Barring the incident, she'd rode the path from Horizon to the Bay enough that Comet recognized it and could go from one point to the other without guidance. A constant journey back and forth, the scenery had gotten older than old.

She felt as though she could never tire looking at sparkling crystal spires every morning, and being surrounded by their soothing glow at night.

_What was more,_ Lilium thought to herself as she sipped her fresh orange juice, dangling her legs over the high-seated cermet bench— _was that the move would put her work with NOAH within better reach._ Her second occupation, with a clearer end goal and less complicated relationships that she was more than happy to devote her time to these days.

She smiled as thoughts of G'raha Tia weasled their way into her mind. How she found comfort in talking to him beside the fire that night until she’d fallen asleep. She couldn’t even recall when it was she had dozed off, or even how she’d made it inside her tent. That was the first time she’d had anything to drink for a while. Not since before the incident, actually. The conversation, _and_ the mead was admittedly much better than whatever positively _nasty_ grog Lilium had forced down her gullet in the past.

Already, however, that night was _three weeks ago._ She had waited with bated breath to be called back to Saint Coinach’s Find ever since, but each update she received was no different than the last: the door wouldn’t move an ilm. It was worrying, what with both the Ironworks and a dedicated team of Sharlayan and Eorzean scholars on the task. Not to mention with Allag being G'raha's area of expertise. If the collective of NOAH couldn’t do it, then who could?

(Certainly not she, who hated being riddled by dead people, and understood the figures those scholars' books about as well as the former.)

Lilium’s fingers tapped on her knee, threatening to touch her linkpearl and check up on the situation once more. Though G’raha would have likely rung her once they succeeded, and not a moment more, she thought sheepishly of hearing him anyway. It had been days since their last contact, she justified. And her thoughts hadn’t been in the most pleasant of places anyhow. 

Finally, she gave in and touched the device attached to her horn, then waited for it to chime. The sun was low, but the camp would be racking their brains for a solution; G'raha included. Despite his penchant for shenanigans, the Seeker would work until dawn if no one ever reminded him of the time.

The string of chimes stopped.

_“G’raha?”_

_“Lilium!”_ The Seeker in question answered, his exuberance putting an instant smile on her face and making her hopeful.

_“What is it? Did you manage to open it?”_

_“Uh, no…”_

Her smile turned to a frown. There was a pause, and then a sigh. 

_“Unfortunately we have not made a single shred of progress since our last contact. I admit, I was merely glad to hear from you. Your voice is like the sun shining upon the deepest trench right now!”_

Lilium couldn’t help the small burst of laughter that escaped her. She might have only blushed, if it wasn’t so _corny_ that she could read little to nothing into it _._ Surely a man like G’raha must’ve spent equally as much time reading prose as he had study materials.

_“What?”_ He had asked right after, and then he muttered, still melodically, _“‘Tis only the truth~ You need not laugh at me... Next time I will take note not to speak so openly to you.”_

This was how it had ended up the last two times they spoke. The practical, technical speak seemed to turn to banter more quickly, and last longer each time. The banter was welcome, of course.

_“Well, then… I’ll have to think of a clever way to describe your voice! Maybe once you finally sing a song for me?”_

_“Ah yes, I still do owe you a song, don’t I? Hmm. Mayhap I shall try penning one of my own. That would give me something to do to keep from succumbing to madness whilst I am posted here...”_

For a moment, she could really hear the frustration evident in his voice, even over the dusty quality that was speaking over linkpearl. It must have been, knowing that which he'd strived for was just behind those doors, and quite literally towered over him while he slept, waiting for him to crack the code, or do _something_. How mocking it would seem. And though not all parts of her own journey looked to be so clear-cut, Lilium could identify with the "madness" of being posted somewhere with diminishing returns. She only had to look at that building overlooking the Bay to feel exasperated again.

_“Losing heart? That would make the two of us...”_

Apparently, that exasperation had leaked into her voice just enough for G’raha to pick up on.

_“Is aught amiss, my friend?”_ The concern was evident in his.

Lilium nibbled at her lip, then let her back fall against the bench, releasing the tension she realized she’d been holding along with another sigh.

_“Nothing that can be fixed, thank you,”_ She decided to answer honestly before changing the subject. _“Actually, I ought to let you know I was about to make my way back to Mor Dhona.”_

G’raha brightened up instantly. _“Is that so? Then I shall look forward to your return! I do think Cid and the others would benefit from the sight of an old friend as well. Perhaps your presence will be the morale boost we need to spark some inspiration around here?”_

Lilium shrugged to herself. _“I know not that I could inspire more than a headache, at this point! But... perhaps we will get lucky after all.”_

_“Hah. You will inspire_ **_me,_ ** _nonetheless.”_ She felt the heat creep up her neck. _“But yes. Let us remain optimistic for the sake of our expedition. And for our hard-working compatriots, if nothing else…”_ He paused for a breath, and Lilium could guess what was coming.

_“Though I_ **_will_ ** _gain entry to that tower and all the knowledge it holds—my left eye and all those years of research be damned!"_

Lilium chuckled sympathetically. After a just-comfortable length of silence, as well as a glance back to see the chocobo-drawn wagon being manned, she felt it the right time to bid him farewell.

_“I'm sure you will! I've got to go now- Goodnight, G’raha.”_ She said softly, trying to give him the same sense of honesty he had given to her.

_“Goodnight, Lilium.”_

Just in time for her to finish off the orange juice, the stocky, ash-skinned coachwoman called out to her.

_“Oy!_ Ye was the one what was gettin’ on with the merchandise bound fer Revenant’s Toll?” The woman waved her hand in the air.

“Aye!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Btw, I'm pretty sure in canon the Crystal Tower raids came in a different patch than the Scions moving to The Rising Stones (maybe? sorry I started when Stormblood released LOL), but this is my version of events!


	5. Food for Thought

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lilium knew she was doing it wrong. One didn’t watch an expert once or twice and then assume they could imitate years worth of practice. Yet she still couldn’t help but feel nervous and bite her lip as she glanced to the side, waiting for G’raha’s countenance while he tipped his head and studied her. It was embarrassing. To think she had put him on the spot in a similar way...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I struggled sssooooo hard with this one. My writing and art are all fighting me right now!
> 
> Slow burns, man... Please enjoy their quality time together as the soft crushing continues. :')

By the time Lilium had reached the Toll by carriage, the moon was high toward the east and she didn’t hesitate to stumble into her bed at the inn. The beds they had to offer there were certainly not the comfiest, but compared to her repeated nodding off in the back of the carriage only to be startled awake by every bump and jostle of the cargo from The Waking Sands, she was grateful for the comfort of a mattress. Without even bothering to set the chronometer on her bedside table, she had drifted off in very little time.

It shouldn’t have been too surprising, then, when Lilium sat up and flipped over to find the stone-walled room already bathed in yellow sunlight pouring in from the small window above her bed, and when she rubbed her eyes and squinted at the numerals on the chronometer and found that it was already half-past midday. And though her eyes still burned and her body still yearned for the warm embrace of sleep, she reluctantly got herself up, readied her things and set out once more for the camp at Saint Coinach’s Find. Perhaps she could trouble Cid for some of his favorite brew when she arrived, if he wasn’t in much more of a mood than last time for all of their failings the past few weeks.

Perhaps, if they were _lucky,_ she’d arrive to news of a breakthrough.

But when Lilium made it to the camp, nothing about the atmosphere; the researchers, the usual strewn-about excavating tools, tomes, freshly drawn maps of the Labyrinth, and most of all the _energy_ about the place—suggested that there had been such a breakthrough. As she’d guessed, there was somewhat of a negative aura looming around the camp, as the researchers who had spent their lives unearthing the knowledge of ancient civilizations were put to the test. And that was just _opening_ Syrcus Tower. Who knew what other tests of wit—and likely more tests of magical might and reflexes—awaited them inside?

She didn’t see G’raha around, nor most of her comrades for that matter, so she assumed they were already well on the task. Biggs was there, however, his enormous hands digging at his scalp as he bumbled about the table where the Ironworks crew had laid out their things with reckless abandon. There were already emptied mugs and wooden plates there too, likely leftover from lunchtime, and it seemed that the camp’s usual tenures were becoming more lax about their workspace in general.

“Good mor—afternoon, rather,” Lilium corrected, getting the Roegadyn’s attention just as he was about to reach for something on the table.

“Ah, Lily! Nearly scared the wits out of me! Has anyone ever told you you’re light on your feet?” Biggs grinned sheepishly. Compared to someone like him, she supposed.

“I should hope so! All the better to sneak up on my _actual_ enemies.”

“Ah, right glad to see you, though!” He chuckled. “The chief will be too! Seems you’ve come all the way out here for naught, however… But you probably knew that, aye? Has some other business brought you here?”

Lilium frowned.

She surprised herself with somewhat of a struggle at first, grasping the idea of _why_ exactly she had come. She could’ve said she found herself in a lull. That much wasn’t untrue, though she was perfectly able to find a job culling pests and fetching things for Rowena—whatever task didn’t require her to run headfirst into an imperial base. She could even say she was sent to help unload the Scions’ assets into The Rising Stones and wound up finishing early. But at the forefront of her mind, Lilium was conscious that her reasoning was much more selfish. In the end, she was aware of why, or for _whom_ she paid a visit. She was just not so willing to to voice her acknowledgement of it, lest someone wind up teasing her... Or think her more of the distraction she probably was.

“I have kept in touch. ‘Tis unfortunate. For now, I’m just here for moral support, I guess?” Her eyes wandered back to the used cups and she asked, “Is there still coffee, by chance?”

Biggs curled his lip in and shook his head. “All out, I’m afraid. Sorry to be the bearer of more bad news…” He paused, then sighed and turned to pluck whatever the small device was off the table. “Anyhow, if you’re here to pep up the crew, the chief, Wedge, and Rammbroes are all making ready to attempt the first _kaboom_ on the entrance to Syrcus, making sure no one will be hurt, and all that.”

“Wait, you mean…?” Lilium’s eyes widened when she realized Biggs really meant _an_ _explosion._ That they were actually going to take explosives to the base of their biggest and most significant _‘artifacts historical.’_ His response was to shrug and give a little shake to what was actually, likely some sort of controlled detonator that made her take just a half-step back.

“Yes, a real shame, isn’t it? Most of us have our doubts of its success—I made a bet with Wedge, as a matter of fact! Rammbroes wasn’t fond of it, either. He tried to put a stop to it to the very last, but this is what we have come to… Even G’raha isn’t putting up much of a resistance anymore.”

She took another quick look across the camp with still no sign of him.

“Where is G’raha? Did he not go with them?”

“Nay. He’s got a sharp head on his shoulders, as I would have expected! He too, believes the plan is doomed to fail. I think that’s why he’s gone off to sulk. He's down at the lake, I believe.”

_‘G’raha... sulking?’_ It didn’t seem right. Though he might have been a little less chipper during their contact last night, G’raha was quick to bounce back as he had been whenever someone tried to scold him. _Tried,_ being the operative word. Though if he was really down, Lilium thought, she wasn’t too confident in her ability to _actually_ raise someone’s morale. The times she had done so in the past, it was done by blowing a few things up, or through people's embellished stories. But she would try nonetheless.

“But you two seem to be hitting it off well, hmm? Least of all, I think G'raha actually _listens_ to you! I’m sure he’ll benefit from a chat with his favorite adventurer?”

A flush washed over her cheeks.

“His favorite wh—”

Whatever that meant, it wasn’t… implying anything. Surely Cid hadn’t talked about the incident with Comet to either of his right-hand men? She began to recall how G'raha had hastily grabbed her hand during his apology, and flushed deeper.

He was an odd man. But of course if he was any bit so fond of her, it was because she was doing the dirty work of clearing out the tower and not for any personal reasons. She was not herself so scholarly, and not in the least bit interesting to speak to for more than a few minutes, _surely..._

“I-I’ll go and check up on him, then.” Lilium said, somewhat quickly as she turned around on her heel, hardly giving Cid a chance to bid her off as he shouted “Good luck!” after her.

Gods forbid she spared her thanks. She would have to work on being so _painfully obvious_ with her embarrassment.

Upon arriving at Silvertear Lake, her eyes skimmed across the scene until the curl of a familiar red tail caught her attention. Somehow safe from the negativity that loomed thick in the air at the camp and seemingly at the back of everyone's minds, there was G’raha sitting cross-legged, skimming through a small book in his lap. His bow laid to his side, and Lilium was relieved to know he hadn’t gone off entirely unprepared. He only seemed to be studying his text, looking every bit as studious as he was fun-loving.

He leaned his head in his hand and she came to focus on that little braid at the back of his head. If there was far more familiarity between them, she just might’ve snuck up on him and pulled it out just to see those waves cascade over his shoulders again.

Instead, a little smile was on her lips as she thought back to what Biggs had said about being light on her feet, and with careful, slow steps, she prowled toward G’raha one foot at a time with the intention of testing his hunter’s instinct. She was able to get maybe eight fulms from him when the light crunch of her toes on the gravel alarmed his ears, and with a whip of his tail, G’raha’s striking right eye cut through his fringe when he snapped to see her. His cautious body language quickly softened up as he greeted her with a smile over his shoulder.

“Oh! There you are!” He exclaimed, looking not so much like a person who was said to be sulking. Lilium noticed then that he had been eating something, and as she came closer, saw that there was half of a sandwich in his other hand.

“Attempting to sneak up on me, were you?” G’raha asked before taking a bite.

“I admit,” He mumbled, still chewing. “When you had said you were journeying here last night and I did not see you arrive bright and early like before, I was beginning to worry that something else had befallen you. Full glad am I to see you safe! Come- will you sit with me?”

“Sorry.” She copped a guilty half-smile and made a similar length of distance between them as to the last night they had chatted, maybe moving a few ilms closer. G’raha didn’t seem to mind.

“It was a pretty uncomfortable ride.” The soreness of her bottom was a testament to that. “And I sort of overslept… I don’t normally rise as early as the day we went riding, mind you.”

“Is that so?” G’raha had a tilt to his head and an ornery look as his tail swept behind him; a look Lilium recognized as someone who was about to tease. Her eyes shamefully swept from his face to the sandwich he was holding in the air, and as he gave it a little shake while he spoke, the growing empty pit in her stomach reminded her that she’d forgotten to eat.

“Very unbecoming of you, ' _Warrior of Light.'_ ” He remarked, bringing the increasingly more tantalizing sandwich closer to his lips. “You know what they say about how the early bird gets the worm?”

She was sure he meant nothing by it, but _goodness, did that feel more like a tease and a half right now._

“Hah, I jest. Worry not, you haven’t missed much— _Ah!”_ G’raha stopped suddenly, just a couple ilms away from sinking his teeth in when her covetous stare finally registered, and his eyes grew wide. 

“How rude of me.”

It took a moment for Lilium to even realize she had been eyeing G’raha’s food like a hungry animal, but the enticing smell of the sauce with whatever fowl meat was inside had her salivating. He made a little pout at the half-finished sandwich. He had realized the error of his words when paired with his actions and felt shame.

“The Sons had a basket of artisanal sandwiches brought to the camp for lunchtime. Had I known for certain you were coming, I would have swiped an entire handful just for you, but... I’m afraid they’ve all been devoured.”

_That explained the dirty plates._ She shrugged and did her best not to pout too.

“I-I don’t suppose you take half-eaten food?” 

Lilium had to giggle as G'raha sheepishly held out his sandwich.

Well, it wasn’t like she had _never,_ but… Lilium shook her head against the insisting brain in her stomach. Not that she was so prude, but it would have been even more ‘unbecoming’ to have table scraps from her colleague after arriving fashionably late.

“It’s alright! I appreciate it, though.”

“Well, this simply won’t do…”

She thought she had politely declined, but still there remained a dissatisfied look on G’raha’s face. He was _so dramatic_ sometimes, rivaling even her on her worst days _._ His tail had stopped its swaying and his ears were low at the back of his head until he closed his book and got up, leaving Lilium curious as to what he was doing.

“Well… I wasn’t that hungry anyway.” He shrugged, and when he looked out to the lake and curled his arm back with the sandwich in hand, it became startlingly clear what G’raha meant to do.

"What?! _No-!"_

Lilium could only shoot to her knees as he flung it with a grunt, failing to stop him from making a very successful pitch into the water. Her heart was simply _in her boots_ after the initial _‘plunk,’_ after which she was frozen in place with her mouth agape, arm half-extended as it occurred to her she had been about to grab G’raha’s pant leg in protest. In the same short, few seconds she noticed he was still watching the water and her eyes darted back to the spot just in time for her to jump when a fish lept and splashed from the murky water, swarming over where its delicious “prey” had sunk.

“Ah! As I thought! Best not to jump in there without clothing.”

_‘Artisinal sandwiches…’_ She lamented, unmoving while G'raha went on to mull over something about the aetherial disturbance from the wreckage in the lake having something to do with wildlife behavior. 

_‘Gods.’_

G’raha turned back toward her with wiggling, satisfied ears only to read the expression on her face. If she had had any idea he would be so utterly wasteful, she would have just forgone her thoughts and eaten it.

“You did say you didn’t want it?” G’raha said with a frown of his own. “Far be it from me to forget my manners entirely and continue to eat in front of you.” He put his hand to his chin in thought. “The taste was marvelous, however… Hm, though I’m not sure I could call them _artisinal,_ perhaps I’ll try my hand at replicating them one day. Rest assured, I will make certain you are the first to try!”

“Always a forward thinker, huh?”

“Of course.” He wiggled his ears at her, voluntarily this time.

They looked at each other for a moment before sharing a giggle. Lilium shook her head back and forth, unable to help her amusement. He was full of surprises and she would find herself in disbelief of him again and again. G’raha was a man who was full of ideas and promises that, in retrospect, should have probably been taken with a grain of salt. Maybe he had become spoiled enough in his student days to discard food with little reservation, but even that was out of kindness. She could hardly hold him under contempt for his Miqo'te characteristics reminding her of someone she was upset with. She was hard-pressed not to like him, let alone dislike him.

Just as she was hard-pressed not to admire the gentle curve of his full lips smiling at her.

He seemed like he had just been about to take his seat next to her again, when a small _“Actually,”_ escaped his lips, and then G’raha was zoning out on the horizon like he was having another of his epiphanies.

“Why not feed the fish a little more?”

“Huh?”

He nodded once, then leaned down and picked up his bow. Instead of explaining what he meant, he spent some time with his nose pointed toward the ground, searching along the bank of the lake with a low hum until he found a stone and tossed it in his hand. Lilium simply observed him in all his lack of straightforwardness until he had tossed the stone into the water, waited, and took note of the delay before those carnivorous fish rippled at the surface once more.

_‘He’s going to try striking one?’_

G’raha seemed to ponder something, never fully strapping on his quiver before he looked at her.

“I believe you mentioned that you have some experience fishing, but have you ever tried bowfishing, Lilium?” She shook her head as she stood.

“No, I haven’t. Have you?”

“I have, in fact. Like you, my father also imparted to me the art of fishing, growing up. Bow and spearfishing included, but I’m sure you can guess with which method my skills are most discerned?” 

He tried to appear humble as he shrugged, but it was clear G’raha was confident for the task. So far, that confidence seemed not misplaced. Lilium had watched him line up his shots with his prey already, and that was during the mist, though a much larger target, all in all. If G’raha planned to show off for her again, she wasn’t in the least inclined to refuse.

“Well, if you’re going to show your stuff, then go ahead~” She said, half-teasing to add to the pressure.

But judging by the shake of his head, it seemed she had misunderstood.

“P-perhaps... Nay, I was thinking- While we are in the habit of imparting knowledge to one another, what say I teach you something of archery first? I don’t know about you, but I’m in no particular hurry to watch our friends waste their efforts fruitlessly blasting away at a marvel of ancient ingenuity.”

So maybe he was a little bitter... But as usual, G’raha was making the effort to keep his head held high, even if that meant engaging her with whatever occasional distractions he deemed necessary.

“Um, alright.”

Hesitant, she moved toward him as he grabbed another arrow.

“I’m not sure what you would have me do, but you should know I’ve never held a bow in my life! I-I mean, I have my areas of expertise too, not to disappoint. I'd probably make a mistake.”

“That is well~” G'raha leaned beside her until they bumped arms and then handed the bow to her first, to which she cocked an eyebrow, unsure. 

“Go on and take it. I will do as you did; take the reins, and I will simply guide you.”

She continued to give him a look, as if to say _“are you sure?”_ before she slowly reached for the bow and arrow from G’raha’s hands. He reassured her with his grin and took a few steps back while she held it awkwardly in front of her.

“Show me your bow stance.” 

Lilium frowned at him immediately.

“I think you’ll laugh at me.”

“I won’t. Pray, try it.” 

She stared at G’raha with furrowed brows for a moment more before sighing, pointing the bow towards the horizon and planting one foot before the other on the ground. It felt foreign. Her tail swayed erratically behind her, her uncertainty obvious while she did her best to recall the form of the Adders she’d seen in Gridania—then set the arrow against the string and pulled back just so, making certain it wasn’t taut enough that she would accidentally loose it into the water. Lilium _knew_ she was doing it wrong. One didn’t watch an expert once or twice and then assume they could imitate years worth of practice. Yet she still couldn’t help but feel nervous, chewing her lip as she glanced to the side, waiting for G’raha’s countenance while he tipped his head and studied her. It was embarrassing. To think she had put him on the spot in a similar way...

G’raha did not laugh, in fact, but his amused grin as he pinched his chin and kept quiet for longer than necessary spoke volumes, and she was about to give up when he finally said something.

“Are you not right-handed, my friend?” He suggested softly to her with a curled brow, his tone leaning on that bit of amusement mixed with affection, but just barely remembering to withhold the slightest chuckle. In spite of that, his use of _“my friend”_ managed to come off more condescending than it had in the past.

“I-I am."

“Then you’ll want to aim with your other. Furthermore...”

G’raha appeared beside her when she turned her head and began to release tension, lowering the bow toward the ground only to have him transfer the grip to her left hand, stopping with his own hovering over hers.

“Um. May I?”

Lilium nodded without a second thought, and then the warmth of his chest pressed slightly into her back as G’raha took her hands in each of his; one wrapping firmly around as he straightened and centered her aim to the horizon, and the other helping her to pull back the bowstring.

This was the second—no, _third_ time he had taken her hands, each time feeling just an ilm more intimate than the last. She didn’t hesitate. It felt good. _Right._ Becoming comfortable, even, having this unusual, and... actually attractive man close by. She was curious if he had taken any interest in her appearance, felt the same funny jumble of nerves when he touched her.

G'raha leaned into her as he ensured her eyes were trained down the center of the arrowhead.

“Assuming your target is straight on,” He continued, explaining the basics of trajectory and squeezing her fingers as he talked about the proper amount of give, tension, and how to finally release. He was a good teacher, she thought, whether or not she could actually follow through on his simple instructions for practical use. She listened intently however pronounced the thrumming in her chest became when G’raha was close enough that a bit of his hair brushed against her horn.

“Excellent,” He said, stepping back to ever-so-gently nudge her legs into the right space apart before replacing his hands on hers. Of course, the heat of his body brushing against hers was most distracting. It made Lilium unfortunately that much more conscious of the level of exposure on her backside. That much more _un-conscious_ of the movement of her tail until it flicked across G’raha’s knee. He paid it no mind, or so it seemed. She only looked at him over her shoulder for a long moment, and he to her for a shorter one before quietly clearing his throat.

“Now…”

He had her release her grip once more as he looked behind them, then nudged her to turn the other direction, pointing at a specific crystal formation jutting up from the ground not too far away.

“Why don’t you try loosing one at that shard of crystal right there? Just once to know how it feels, and then I will show you how it’s done?”

“Won’t that waste the arrow?” Lilium looked at him with uncertainty, but he shrugged his shoulders.

“It may render this one unuseable, but in my eyes it is anything but a waste if it meant I could impart you with some semblance of wisdom.”

“Very well.” She exhaled, then aimed as if G’raha was still there with the acute memory of his hands on hers, holding steady as she pulled back the string. It was around that time that Lilium started to notice the dull ache of strain on her wrist from holding it straight as she pulled back the arrow.

She guessed that she hadn’t fully recovered from the chocobo incident; it even occurred to her that this was something she probably shouldn’t have been doing. But she would do it once if it meant she could see G’raha’s beaming face like when he had slain the gigantoad. As an adventurer, a hero, she ought to be able to do more than wave around her rod. She owed it to herself to try, and she _wanted_ to impress. To live up to people's made-up stories, one step at a time. With those feelings in mind, Lilium pursed her lips and released the arrow, happy when the tip of the arrow lodged somewhat crooked into the face of the crystal, creating a web of fine cracks around it.

“Yes, that’s it!” The Miqo’te clapped his hands together, a wide smile showing on his face as she had hoped. “Fine form, this time!” 

That look was worth it. The way his round cheeks formed the smallest crinkles under his eyes, stretching his markings slightly. Even if he was merely praising mediocrity (there was no way they did that in Sharlayan), it meant something. Truly, it would’ve been embarrassing if she had missed a mark so large and stationary.

"I hope this means that you'll tell all your friends that the Warrior of Light is multitalented~?"

"You thought I would say aught less of you~?"

G’raha’s smile soon faded when he noticed her rubbing at her wrist as she approached to give back his bow.

“My wrist, though… Still not in the best shape, it seems.” 

G’raha was hesitant to take it back. How quickly his body language shifted, the downward point of his ears most notably hearkening to the day he offered his honest apologies. He was still feeling guilty about it. 

She hadn't meant to make her discomfort so noticeable.

“It still pains you? You should have said something or I wouldn’t have asked—”

“No, no! I- It’s fine!” Lilium interrupted with a laugh, waving her hand at him. “I like new experiences, thank you.”

G'raha finally took back his bow from her hands.

“As I said before, I’d like not for you to sustain any further injuries if I can help it. Certainly not from our past-times… I would say you have done enough, but that’s not so satisfying, is it? Here—”

He looked around another moment, then bent down to pluck a shiny stone to hand to her. G'raha took off his boots one by one and rolled up the legs of his trousers in anticipation. Lilium still didn’t quite get exactly why he committed to nabbing a fish, but he had _committed to it_ nontheless, and she opted to live in the moment with him, knowing it was better than whatever drivel the Scions could give her.

Once he was prepared, G’raha set up to aim closer to the water’s edge and announced he was ready. Sure enough, after the way they pursued the sandwich and the first rock, the fish would fall for the dirty trick a second time. After hurling the stone in her hand, Lilium watched the fish break the surface only to be struck by G’raha’s quick reflexes, making the water still as fast as it had been disturbed. He dropped his bow and quiver to the ground soon after, wading almost up to his knees until he could snatch his prize and hold it up for her to see. Some sort of bass, based on her limited knowledge. Not at all a bad size for one or two people's lunch— _wait._

“Ilsabardian bass!” He affirmed as he waded back out with it and kept his tail clear of the water. G’raha would have fit right in with the other hunter-scholars scattered about Eorzea. Besides those certain _“eccentricities”_ of his. 

“And that water is… every bit as chilly as I would have imagined, _by the Twelve…_ But here is lunch, for our efforts.”

She withheld her giggle when G’raha’s fur fluffed to his shiver, crossing her arms.

“So _that’s_ why!”

“Hm? Did I not make my intentions clear?” He grinned, almost mischievously as if he wasn’t aware of his own roundabout ways. It was at this point that Lilium was _absolutely sure_ she could not read her historian friend. He let the fish drop to the ground beside him with the arrow still attached, then sat with her on the bank. In little time, he had scooped up another book; a small journal of sorts from his pocket, and began scribbling something she couldn’t make out.

“Thank you.”

That red eye poked out at her along with the flash of his grin as he looked up. It almost seemed like he hadn’t expected it.

“Most welcome. Perhaps you might even thank me for rescuing you from the clutches of hunger with a small taste?”

She paused for a moment to think, then leaned closer toward him with a smirk and a taunt on her lips.

“Yes. If you pass my trial~” Clearly, it got his attention when the scribbling stopped.

“Your _trial,_ you say?”

“Thaumaturgy. I’m sure someone as academically inclined as you could pick it up, no?”

G’raha huffed and looked at the rod lying on the ground. By the look he gave, it seemed he quickly dismissed the idea.

“Flattered. But I'm not so _aetherially-_ inclined… Or rather, I could scarce see myself waving about a rod with half as much grace as you do, my friend.” He finished whatever he was writing and then closed the book, tying around the binding and sticking it in his pocket.

“But one day, mayhap? As well as you, with archery? I will say my bow suited you.”

She blushed and the two of them sat there for a few moments in silence before the sound of someone rushing up behind them turned their attention. Upon whipping around with the same amount of startle as she'd given G'raha, there was a researcher from the camp, totally out of breath with excitement.

Before either of them could ask any questions, the researcher caught their breath.

 _“Two people...!_ A man and a woman showed up and interrupted our operations. Said they could _help_ in some way! Well, we need to decide what to do with them. Rammbroes and Master Garlond have called a meeting and so- I-I was sent to fetch the two of you for your counsel on the matter...”

The look on G’raha’s face was somewhat skeptical when his eyes consulted her, to which Lilium could only offer him a slight shrug. He _looked_ like he had his share of counter-arguments and questions and so did she, but none of them were aimed at the messenger, to whom any prospect of advance would seem exciting.

If these persons could be trusted.

“Very well, thank you! Send the message that we shall return anon.”

The researcher gave a curt nod and then scurried off ahead.

“So much for having a minute to relax,” The Auri sighed and let slip. Her stomach was particularly cavernous now, as she eyed their catch with the arrow still lodged inside. G’raha reached for his discarded boot.

“Indeed. Would that we could have had a bit more leisure time together.”

The word _“together”_ rang in Lilium’s head as a gentle reminder of why she had come. _She was valued here,_ by the historian G’raha Tia.

G'raha set his eyes on the direction of the camp, then. That hint of doubt in his eyes resurfaced. 

“If what awaits us is aught but more frivolous nonsense...”

Once he had picked up all his effects, he stood and offered her his hand to get up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Definitely not making excuses to get close and hold hands, nope what are you talking about! God, I hope I don't write G'raha like an absolute doofus and still convey his intelligence!! He changed so fast in the questline and I really like the idea that Lily got to know him a decent amount before Things Started Happening.
> 
> Speaking of which, more things were meant to happen here, but! Prob gonna be a short chapter after this of what didn't fit. So it was just an all-fluff one (if you can even call it that) this time. ^^;
> 
> Sidenote: blease catch all my allusions, I beg of you..


	6. Royal Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was more than what Lilium could say for herself as she curled up by the fire, not at all alone, but still embraced tightly by loneliness. Warmed by the flames, yet cold with self-doubt, and confused by the sense of longing she felt just looking at the firelit tattoo on the side of G’raha’s neck. While he craned to engage their new comrades, he kept them locked in a friendly forum, surrounded by their companions who scarcely participated, but listened to all that these mysterious clones of Allag had to offer. Most of the time, Lilium continued to look upon that same spot: upon G'raha's tattoo, eyes trailing along to where his hairline swept softly into his ponytail, to his cheeks and his lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lilium, overthinking things much? Why, never.....

_They had taken their time moseying back to the camp as per their summoning, during which G’raha had shared his thoughts about the impending meeting of the new visitors. While he was all for an extra set of hands as long as said hands were capable, he carried with him an equal amount of doubt._

_In G'raha's words,_ _“Unless our new friends were to actually possess a deep, profound passion for Allag—or just happen to have the answers we seek—Bah! I would loathe to be so unfriendly, but I would turn them away. if they couldn't prove themselves worthy of furthering our cause, I'm afraid they would merely diminish our resources.”_

_As it turned out, most people were not strong of either characteristic; the passion, the genius. Nor did Lilium, in fact. But she supposed she did fit into a third category G'raha described. The mold of a heroine, which he seemed to firmly believe was made for her (not that she had simply squeezed herself inside it and managed to make do)._

_The visitors were most likely as tourists. The likes of which had apparently shown up once during her time away, only to pose and pretend and disappoint G'raha with their limited abilities before promptly getting the boot from Rammbroes. Despite his usual enigmatic and welcoming demeanor, there was a skeptic in G'raha. In a way, he came off sort of… arrogant, sometimes? It seemed that was a common opinion of Archons._

_But how could Lilium call him out for a small amount of arrogance, with how happy he had been to share knowledge and to show her things? Not to mention he was always eager to learn new information without pretending to know-it-all. Peculiar that he embodied the opposite of what Sharlayan stood for._

_Things were a bit different when it came to this venture with the Crystal Tower. **Something drove G’raha.** It was plain that his draw to Allag was more powerful than to anything else in his life, and for that reason he kept what secrets he could inside NOAH._

_And if he knew something more, perhaps, some were only inside himself._

_“I had given them the benefit of the doubt, at first,”_ G'raha said of previous lot who'd tried to volunteer. _“As any man would, merely seeking comraderie with those who share the same specific interests. I am sure they were fine people… But as scholars? Piss poor, if I may be so blunt. Forget conviction. They lacked the most rudimentary enrichment on the topic of Allag. I could call their farce right away.”_

_“But how could you tell?” Lilium asked, at which point they had stopped walking._

_“I needed only one test to trip them up... Before a few of our colleagues, I engaged them in conversation, during which I told one lie regarding the nature of the discovery of the first Allagan tomestones following the Fourth Umbral Calamity. To my disappointment, they were completely unphased by it. They simply accepted it as fact and kept nodding in along, unable to recognize what misinformation I fed them. I've crossed many students who were similar… You could easily separate those who had a burning passion for the subject from those who were without proper cause. Why, or how they could press on with not even a cursory notion of the material, I will never quite understand!”_

_“I see… “_

_Though the Warrior of Light told herself it was different; she was actually, physically laboring to take back the tower from fiends and automatons alike--the parallels between herself and the qualities of someone who G’raha described as useless were too obvious not to consider._

_The two of them were becoming fast friends, Lilium tried to remind herself once more. But perhaps they were not as close as they could have been, had she attended the Studium as well. Been a part of the same closed circle that kept her from knowing and connecting with the rest of the Scions as well as she could have. Even with G’raha’s quirks he would have probably gotten on famously with the rest of them. They would talk at length about things she couldn’t have fathomed._

_And again, Lilium was isolated, just from thinking too much and too loudly. It was difficult not to, when the difference between them all was as plain as a tattoo on the neck. All she had there were scales; another gentle reminder that she didn’t quite fit into the creed no matter that she was a child of Eorzea, if not by natural right. Why in the world would he choose her?_

_At that point in the conversation, the Auri had become aware of her thoughts running away with her again, and as she stared through G’raha’s mismatched eyes, eventually she registered the slight, concerned tilt of his head as he stared._

_“Lilium?”_

_She forced a smile and ignored the unwanted thoughts as best as she could. Unless she wanted to prove her doubts, to show herself to be as false and unworthy as those aforementioned individuals—she would not make G’raha waste his breath on her too._

_“So then…” Lilium folded her hands together in front of her to keep from fidgeting. “Why do you suppose anyone would try and volunteer themselves to studying the Crystal Tower when there are so many already here? What do they think they can accomplish that we can’t?”_

_“Therein, I believe, lies the answer.” G’raha sighed through his words. “To pull the sword from the stone, so to speak. And if it is truly glory that they seek—” He shrugged, then a grin shone as he began walking in front of her with a swivel of his waist and a more upbeat flick of his tail. “Whether it is glittering gold or an adventurer's namesake- Well, I’m afraid they will already be mine for the taking! Er, t-that is to say- it will be_ **_ours_** _to share._ _”_

_‘It will be ours to share.’_

...

And yet, as Lilium sat around the campfire that evening, adjacent from the same man and woman they had been informed of, the very vision of their cooperative success seemed threatened. _These visitors were no tourists._

G’raha’s skepticism waned when he saw the pair's eyes; that unnatural bright crimson color like his left one— _the “Royal Eye,”_ as they called it. Lilium had thought G'raha's eye to be striking, perhaps a rare tint, but beyond the curiosity of him having mentioned it briefly once or twice, she had thought little of it. Or at least, not enough to warrant prodding about it.

She seemed to recall him saying something like _“my eye be damned.”_ An Allagan Eye lent some clarity to the intense dedication he had for being here, and for casually filtering out those who only sought notoriety for personal gain. But _a_ _Royal Eye,_ passed down from the bloodline of royal Allagans themselves? That G’raha would’ve come to inherit something like that after centuries had passed was almost difficult to believe… _Almost._ If his impassioned behavior didn’t lend itself to that.

The moment their visitors, the siblings Unei and Doga, rose to the occasion and did something remarkable, something that the best of the best could not do—any possibility for contempt the Miqo’te could’ve had for them had blown away with the dust that cleared from the entrance to Syrcus Tower. For despite _lying_ about whence they had come, they needed only to reach out their hands to the door that had been unsuccessfully coaxed by tinkering, magics, and even almost _blasted with explosives,_ for the siblings’ true identities to come to light when the glyphs inlaid in the gold all lit up, and slowly but surely the doors creaked open. They were Allagan _clones._ Copies of people that once lived, as it turned out. And they were sure of their purpose.

So was their second uninvited guest: Cid’s _old friend,_ Nero tol Scaeva, who was decidedly up to no good. Yet, Lilium could be sure a mastermind like him had a clear-cut goal for himself, even if the rest of them couldn’t perceive what it was yet. 

It was more than what Lilium could say for herself as she curled up by the fire, not at all alone, but still embraced tightly by loneliness. Warmed by the flames, yet cold with self-doubt, and confused by the sense of longing she felt just looking at the firelit tattoo on the side of G’raha’s neck. While he craned to engage their new comrades, he kept them locked in a friendly forum, surrounded by their companions who scarcely participated, but listened to all that these mysterious clones of Allag had to offer. Most of the time, Lilium continued to look upon that same spot: upon G'raha's tattoo, eyes trailing along to where his hairline swept softly into his ponytail, to his cheeks and his lips.

Her stare eventually gave birth to wild thoughts.

_How soft was G'raha Tia's face? As much as it looked? And how were his lips? She was absolutely only curious. If ever there was an opportunity to know them..._

_‘Even this venture would not last forever,’_ Was the thought that intruded and made her surprisingly sad. When G’raha made a motion with his hand while he talked, she could think only of how he sheepishly held her hands and how she hoped he would make an excuse to take them again one night by the fire, maybe tonight, and hold them with intent. He was a comfort zone, in a strange way. She decidedly didn’t want him to leave when things were finished. And she didn’t want him to tire of her presence, nor select a new champion to pen his chronicle after.

The woman called Unei gestured towards her suddenly, looking down at her from the single stool Biggs had offered her, matching red eyes cutting through the dusk.

“... And you- You’re a capable mage aren’t you? You’re the one they call the ‘Warrior of Light,’ yes?” She smiled a gentle, wise smile.”We have heard a great many things about you. I have faith that you will succeed at extinguishing Emperor Xande’s rage.”

Lilium straightened her back, stiff as a stone, noticing all her friends' eyes were on her. Even G’raha had turned to her and paid her a look of confidence that slowly faded when she couldn’t feign to be so present. Not when she was feeling so strangely, her mind going a malm a minute with things that hardly connected or would make sense to anyone else. Her hands clasped together tight, and for a moment she was speechless. She wasn’t even really _in the mood_ to speak, but nevertheless opened her mouth and offered what words she could find.

“Um. Thanks… For what it’s worth, I will try.” 

Some of them turned their attention away, but there were those whose eyes lingered on her. Lilium didn’t want to stare again, but she looked at G’raha briefly only to catch his furrowed brows and mouth parted as if he wanted to ask if something was amiss. And Cid, with his arms crossed, standing to the side. He would know something was up, having experienced her moods more times than anyone else at the camp, even if he couldn’t place what it was about.

It might’ve been partially due to her time in Vesper Bay that had her thinking about how easy it was to lose, and how easy it was _to_ _fail,_ but maybe what she needed was time to rest and reset. There were too many selfish thoughts swimming about, outright _jealousy_ being one of them, and there was no reason to chance bringing anyone down when they had just reached a turning point in their expedition.

“Excuse me, I’m quite tired. I should get going,” She said quietly, getting up and making a decent amount of rustle with her things as she made for her chocobo who was tied up and lying down by the post. Comet had lifted his head and uttered a tiny chirp at her approach, but she hadn’t yet reached him by the time a pair of footsteps hurrying after her made her stop in her tracks.

“Hold on!” G’raha called to her, holding up his hand. “Won’t you be staying with us again? I know we ran a bit late with our discussion—there was much to learn and I believe we are safer for Unei and Doga’s wisdom… But I am to understand that they are retiring to Revenant’s Toll themselves, and there is still a spare tent here for you.”

He looked at her guilelessly as he plead, and Lilium couldn’t help but feel only fond things for him. After all, none of what she was feeling was any of G’raha’s fault. She took a deep inhale and then sighed loudly in response.

“I-I don’t know.”

He pressed his lips together.

“Is there something wrong? You know you may speak to me-” G’raha paused, then moved a little closer, his tail swaying side to side as he leaned in and persisted, badgering until she’d smile sheepishly. “As a friend? ...No? A faithful servant to your many deeds of heroism, mayhap? Out with it.”

She shook her head stubbornly, and then in momentary boldness, reached out and gave him a playful shove between his chest and his shoulder. It barely moved him, but she could see that G’raha was pleased at achieving the desired reaction from her as she was unable to avoid grinning at him. She almost hated that it reminded her of her childhood friend's old attempts at trying to get her to crack a smile when she was feeling high-strung. Though G’raha’s methods seemed much more tasteful. Likely much more _successful,_ just with his charm. He had a certain boyishness underneath all the intellectual.

Of course, she couldn’t tell him that. She couldn’t tell the man in front of her that he was, albeit indirectly, a source of frustration himself. That she was surely but steadily _falling for him._

“I _am_ just tired. It was a long day of errands yesterday, and as I said, I didn’t get a lot of sleep, so… forgive me if I’m not in the greatest mood.”

There was a truth to it, just not the whole truth. G’raha posited what she said, and by the face he made Lilium was almost completely sure he didn’t believe her. He was too sharp, and she had been told in the past she was none too good at lying.

“I am really glad we’re making progress though. I… do want to see this through to the end with you.”

The corners of G’raha’s lips pulled wider and after a moment he just accepted it with a nod. He wouldn’t persist any further at least.

“As do I... And on that note, we have only just reunited. I would much like for you to stay, so if there is aught I could do to prevent your untimely departure, then say the word.”

Lilium crossed her arms and put her finger to her lips. Perhaps it _would_ be an opportunity to bridge the gap of knowledge in some small way… and in doing so, the gap between them?

“Teach me more.” She said, watching G’raha’s eyes expand.

“Of?”

“More of what you know about Allag? About what might lie inside that tower specifically, and anything you know about the emperor that might help me.”

His ears and tail flicked straight up in excitement at the idea.

“I want to hear it so I can improve my chances of defeating him, but- I also want to hear it just to know. That’s my condition. Otherwise, I might gladly take a proper bed… You know, with less chances of waking up with crickets in my hair.” 

Lilium folded her arms behind her back and waited expectantly. The look on the scholar’s face shifted from surprise to absolute delight.

“Well, of course!” He exclaimed, making Comet stir behind her with a low chirp, which he seemed guilty about for a moment before lowering his voice. She chuckled.

“Er, come. I have a small collection of texts inside my tent that we may refer to.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TL;DR One lonely lizard just wants to kiss a cat, the end.
> 
> The wheels are turning tho and getting closer to the conclusion of this fic. Then I can finally move onto ShB and some things between and rest assured they do connect with some little changes... :')
> 
> I really, really appreciate it if you're still reading! <3


	7. Echoes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She continued to call herself an adventurer to him, but she was no ordinary adventurer, this Warrior of Light. And she was not just any heroine, either. Lily was bright and warm and caring, good-humored to boot. Maybe a little impatient at times, but she had forgiven him his missteps more times in the past few weeks than some had ever in his lifetime. G’raha couldn’t help but think how it would have been to have someone like her around when he was but a small child, mistreated by his peers and held at a safe distance by those he would look up to. He thought of her hands on his back—maybe Lily thought he hadn’t cared too much for it—but those hands did soothe more than just the pain he felt on the outside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter count is not set in stone but I've put roughly how many are left based on my outline. :')
> 
> Oh look, another double POV chapter!  
> There's a oneshot coming that I really want to give care to. Maybe you can guess what it'll be.....

As Lilium sat next to G’raha on the floor of his tent, leafing through book after book from one pile and tossing it into the next, she came to an early conclusion that there wasn’t going to be anything in them that would give her an advantage with her upcoming battle with the emperor. That was to say, there wasn’t anything _useful_ in G’raha’s collection. Far be it from anyone to write instructions on how to take down their ruler, but they had come across only scant details on Xande’s fighting capabilities as the hours passed them. Xande's predecessor might as well have hardly taken up arms. As for the twisted shade who currently sat the throne… it was easy enough to imagine why not near as much information had been circulated about the man; not that survived the Fourth Umbral Calamity in addition to those that would follow.

G’raha was thorough however, she would give him that. And with the amount of books he had in his possession, she would hardly have called the collection ‘small.'

But why, oh why had he brought _so many?_

“Ah, how about this one; ’Conquest!’ This looks to be promising!” The Miqo’te eventually blurted out, holding up another copy of potentially obscure material. It grabbed Lilium’s interest enough to make her lift her head from her hand and turn her attention back to G'raha, only to see his smile fade over what was on one of the first pages.

What she managed to see over his shoulder was a detailed illustration of the emperor, brandishing a large sword in a most suggestive position in front of his body. When G'raha noticed she had been looking, he couldn't turn the pages fast enough, eyes zooming over text, growing wider by the second. For a long moment she could only stare at him with a cocked brow.

“Right, I see… Not that type of conquest… Ahem.” And tossed into the reject pile it was. “‘Twas fiction,” He remarked of it.

Lilium giggled at him.

“Perhaps I ought to read it just to be sure?”

He stopped in the middle of cracking the cover of the next book and looked at her out of the corner of his eye.

“If you truly want to borrow it, I will be sure not to tell the rest of your friends what bizarre interests in reading material you have.”

_‘Oh, I hope he knows I’m joking.’_ She guessed so, by the small chuckle they shared before G’raha started sifting through the index with the faintest blush on his cheeks. 

_'Though I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t curious…’_

These exchanges helped to keep Lilium awake and mildly entertained as time passed them by, reading side by side like children in a library. Even as their search for relevant information continued to yield little, _to waste time—_ it was a comfortable waste. Whenever G’raha would find an interesting section and ask if she wanted to hear, she would nod and urge him to go on, and for a time that seemed to delight him just as well. She was making good on her request to learn more of Allag at least, listening to the passages that G’raha stopped to read her about Allagan mages and the earlier practices of arcanima. That was a field the Auri knew little about, though it piqued her interest enough to consider the art.

Only as she felt the heaviness of sleep starting to call to her did Lilium’s attention begin to shift from the meaning of the words being spoken to her, to plainly the _sound_ of them. G'raha's voice was... pleasant. Surprisingly soothing to listen to. She set her head in her hands, eyes trailing back to a place they had rested when she first entered: on the lute that lay unused in the corner.

She'd heard from someone else at the camp that he played it one night, _when she wasn't even there._ The instrument mocked her and motivated her in equal measures. She longed to hear G’raha sing. She wanted to know if he sounded anything like he did when he read books. But she hadn't earned it yet. 

_Why_ hadn't she earned it yet? Did G'raha not like her as much as he pretended to?

Lilium pouted and covered up her disgruntled face with her palm.

After enough time had passed, the _waste_ seemed to weigh on G’raha, and as Lilium failed to stifle a yawn, he openly frowned when he laid the last book aside, not reaching for another.

“I had hoped we would find something that would be of more use to you tomorrow, but perhaps we should call it a night?”

She frowned back, and before she could try and say no for the sake of making progress, G'raha stopped her.

“My friend… I am to understand you originally took this expedition as a side affair to your duties as a Scion of The Seventh Dawn."

He wasn't wrong.

_'Do you not believe I'm all-in this, as you are? You would choose another in my stead?'_ She sat there preparing defensive words that were better dead on her lips.

"However… knowing what we do now of Emperor Xande’s continued residence inside the tower, I fear this is anything but. I fear what danger awaits us at the throne--what danger awaits _you.”_

Her heart dropped to hear G’raha suddenly become so serious. Not at all the followup she was expecting. She almost worried that those clones had left him touched in some way. Though it was true: he understood that what they were facing now was another potential threat to Eorzea. What _she_ was to face, come dawn.

Lilium pressed her thumbs together in her lap.

“Are you worried I’ll _die?”_ She couldn’t help but laugh weakly at that for some reason, and that only served to angle his brows and slightly crinkle the arrow-shaped markings by the bridge of his nose.

The way G'raha looked at her left her with a strange feeling that rocked her to her core. She was awake now, filling with a mix of dread and anxiety. Most people didn’t laugh at death even out of nervousness, did they? So often was she responsible for her own life, and with the Scions seeming ever willing to give their own- _When was the last time someone else acknowledged it like this; in their words or in their very eyes, that they were worried about her?_

He seemed to hesitate at something, swallowing shallowly and then putting on a weak smile. She had never seen this side of him before.

“Like Unei, I have utmost faith in you.” G'raha paused and pressed his lips together.

_‘But?’_

“... But it pains me on multiple affronts that I cannot go with you! I _know-_ even with what capabilities I have proven to you, I do understand that we cannot risk adding the strain of but one failure to your shoulders. I am, unfortunately, a _historian._ No more, no less. Events here have served to remind me of that fact. Even still, I would have you know that should anything happen to you in there, I would be _—_ ”

G’raha lowered his head, ears drooping as red eyes took on the serene glow of the lantern beside him.

“Well, I would be most ashamed of myself for not having fought harder to defy the odds that were stacked against me. Most distraught, I should say… When I journeyed here, I-I did not expect to find someone… _like you.”_

“G’raha…”

At first glance, he was in deep thought. Leaning forward and peering past his fringe, Lilium could see he wore a sheepish smile. She felt that she wanted to reach out to him, and tell him she would be alright, even if she never had any way of knowing for sure.

She raised her scaled hand, meaning to rest it on G’raha’s shoulder, and stopped.

_Hesitating, again._

“A selfish request, if I may?”

“Hm?” Lilium retracted her hand. This time around, it seemed like G’raha was withholding something from her, acting a bit more reservedly— _strangely,_ ever since Unei and Doga had cleared some of the mystery surrounding his Royal Eye.

“When we have finished seeing things through, might I accompany you on your grand adventure?”

She hadn’t expected that either: to hear exactly what she wanted, from the lips of the man she’d grown attached to. Attached to the idea that they could fight alongside one another and have more days like today by the lake, more nights by firelight talking and learning together, with or without words. That he wanted her around, not just wanted her for her skill.

Whether or not G’raha would be allowed along, of course, was ultimately up to the antecedent, but even without the gift, surely the Scions would find value in him as an ally for all the gifts of his own. Surely they would value that he was thoughtful, brave, and wickedly clever beyond what she could hope to reach.

It was wishful thinking still, and contingent on their success, among other things.

Lilium gave him a sympathetic smile.

“I think once we’ve reached the spire, you’ll forget the world, let alone one adventurer!”

“No,” G’raha laughed. “Well, _perhaps_ I will forget the world! But I shan’t forget you.” His ears wiggled a little.

“Thank you.” 

_‘Really. Thank you…’_

“Perhaps not right away. But for the future… Maybe that will become my next goal, when I have tired of looking upon those crystalline walls and studying the wisdom therein?”

She nodded, closing the book she’d had in her lap and allowed G’raha to take it, beginning to rearrange the dog-eared pile apart from those they tossed away. She watched him for a moment in the dusty yellow light of the oil lamp, when she had a passing thought. He was on his knees nearby, still arranging when she’d let that thought slip.

“I wanted to tell you- you can call me Lily, like everyone else, by the way. I would like that better than Lilium... since we're friends~”

Even seeing only G’raha’s back, she knew how he felt about that from the way those expressive ears and tail moved, and the way he paused from tidying up, glancing back. And then he was over the books already, too excited to deal with them. The Miqo’te rolled back onto his bottom, leaning back on his hands in a comfortable position next to her.

“Really? ... And you may call me Raha, my dear friend. _Lily.”_ He said, with a grin that quickly faded for some reason.

“Oh, in case you weren’t aware, that’s how we tribal Miqo’te—“

“I know.”

“Oh.” G’raha had stopped in the middle in the middle of his gesture, letting his hand fall into his lap with a plop.

“I grew up close with someone from the J tribe, and I _do_ have a general knowledge of how things work, besides. Did you think you were still schooling me?” Lilium giggled and watched G’raha’s cheeks darken a few shades.

“In fact, I thought I was. But it is clear I do not give you nearly enough credit- _Agh,“_ He grabbed his eye then and hissed.

“What is it? Your eye?”

Lilium startled at first, and as he leaned forward into his palm, body slouching over, she didn’t think twice before laying a concerned hand on G’raha’s back as she tried to soothe. He merely groaned through gritted teeth.

“It’s… ah… the- that pain again… I-I’ve not felt it for… some time…”

She squeezed his arm and waited to see if it would pass.

It reminded her of her episodes with the Echo; how those headaches would come and go, and G'raha's reaction to it was just alike. It was only when she began to worry whether she should go get help that he started to relax, and let out a long breath of relief.

Then, just like that, he sat up straight.

“It’s gone.”

Lilium’s eyes widened. She kept one hand loosely on his bicep in fear he would keel over again. He had talked about _“that pain”_ as if this was something he knew well enough, but this was the first time she had seen it.

“Are you sure? You don’t want me to go and wake the medic?”

G’raha tilted his head back and inhaled deeply before facing her with a somewhat guilty look.

“Yes, it is passed. There’s no need to be concerned, thank you. This is something I have dealt with ever since childhood. Although it is different now, somehow. More potent.”

“You’ve _always_ had this pain?”

He nodded, and by the time G'raha even noticed she was touching him and flushed accordingly, her fingers were slipping away from his bicep.

“I- have been a little curious about that eye of yours ever since Unei and Doga spoke of it. I have wondered before that, but I never thought it could be so important… An ‘Allagan Eye,’” Lilium began to trail off as she thought out loud. “I was wondering why you didn’t tell me about it before? Was it a matter of trust?”

“Ah, no, well… Contrary to what you might think, it is generally not something I would brag about. To anyone, unless context were to demand it.” G’raha’s expression turned somber. For a long moment, he was silent, and then exhaled loudly, the tension in his body making it clear it was a touchier subject.

“Being born with one red eye, I did not have the most pleasant of childhoods. You know what they say: children can be cruel.” And then he let go of that tension once more, letting his shoulders slouch back to a more natural position.

“I’m sorry,” Was the only thing Lilium could think to say, and even then it felt empty to have said it rather than nothing at all. 

As an Au Ra growing up in Eorzea, perhaps she could understand. She had met with her own fair share of children, even some adults who poked fun at her horns or her scales or tail. Treated her like an oddity. Things man often did when they saw something different. But the look in G’raha’s mismatched eyes in that moment had been undeniably morose. _A malm stare,_ which Lilium might not have recognized until she was very recently made aware of her own. It was a stare that suggested G’raha’s wounds were deeper than a simple picking-on. 

She was struck by morbid curiosity. The thought tore at Lilium, having seen such pain in the eyes of someone who was normally rather upbeat. Just _what_ could G’raha could have endured or seen? Did she really want to know? Maybe his starry-eyed demeanor had come at a price. _Maybe..._

It was either the words he spoke themselves, or the intrusive questions that set a dull, yet telling ache at the center of Lilium’s head. She bit her lip and willed at it to go away. _Not now._

“Ah, but forgive me! I did not mean to sour our conversation.”

She looked at him, but she could not will it away. Her vision of G’raha was turning dark fast as pain began rippling through her skull like flashes of lightning. She thought she said something. Thought she reached out in the darkening space of the tent, and G’raha might’ve said something back as he grabbed for her limpening body, but already those sensations mingled with ones that were not her own. She collapsed and fell into G'raha's arms. Or was it her own? Or was it the floor… or was it dirt?

_Were the hands upon her gentle or were they—?_

* * *

“Liliu-! Lily? _Lily?!"_

G’raha held the Auri in his arms, her cheek pressed against his shoulder with limbs limp on either side of him while he gave her shake after gentle shake. But Lily didn’t rouse.

_He knew what this was._ Maybe not during the initial shock. Not while he had tried to steady her as she clutched her head and whimpered, but he knew now.

He was certain his shouting would have alerted anyone left by, but in his worry, G’raha scooped Lily up in his arms and bursted out from his tent, only to find the small Wedge, followed by Cid rushing toward him to a halt. Cid’s bushy white brows raised at the sight of them, but it was his smaller acquaintance who jabbed his little finger at him and raised his voice first.

“W-w-what did you _do?!”_

G’raha’s mouth immediately dropped at the accusation. 

“Now, Wedge—“ Cid had started, but already the Miqo’te clicked his tongue and made a disgusted noise.

“I did _nothing!_ She simply fainted while we were chatting!” 

“Boss?” 

“Did she by chance grab her head before she passed out?” 

“Yes.”

_‘So he’s come to the same conclusion, then…’_

“Right…” Cid scratched the back of his head and sighed. He looked in no urgency to retrieve Lily or _do_ _something_ to help.

_‘How is he so calm about this?’_

“Seven Hells, she must’ve heard Hydaelyn’s voice again, or…?” Cid gave him a questioning look.

G’raha shook his head, ears flattening as he looked down at Lily, wearing a peaceful expression as if she had only dozed off while reading. Inside, fear began to mount, for what imagery might be plaguing her dreams. If they were really any one memory of his…

“‘Tis my fault.” Quick to G’raha’s annoyance, the little one flapped his arms and pointed again. 

Once he shouted, “I _knew_ it!” the Miqo’te fluffed his tail.

“I-I would thank you to dispense with the accusations!”

_“Aye,”_ Cid said, and with a mere sharp glare cast down at his loyal follower, Wedge was made to mutter his apologies as he began to back away. “The situation is under control,” he assured.

“What would you have me do? I fear Lily might be in pain. Or at least, having a terrible, _awful_ nightmare.” G’raha exchanged a long look with the Ironworks chief. He looked like he wanted to ask, much as he lacked the context to what had transpired inside the tent. Not that divulging to anyone the details of his past would undo what had already been done.

_Oh, how he hoped Lily dreamt of one of the better days..._ Curled up beneath a leafy tree reading a book, his only worry trying to hold the pages down with small hands while the breeze threatened to turn them. When his father brought him to the river to learn to fish, and he ended up keeping a close eye out while he splashed and swam in a shallow portion away from the other children. Or the day when the nice woman who may or may not have mothered any number of his half-siblings was around and took pity on him enough to bring him that one, delicious slice of peach pie he was never good enough to replicate.

Though based on his last brilliant choice of words before she fainted, that was not likely to be the case.

_‘Twelve curse these ‘gifts’ of ours, tenfold...’_

Cid shrugged at him.

“I can’t claim to know what type of memories Lily sees, but from what I do know, I can promise you she won’t suffer any physical pain. At least not that persists after she’s awoken.”

G’raha frowned, but Cid merely showed him a reassuring grin and came to clasp his hand over his shoulder, rough from long days of work.

“In other words, don’t worry yourself overmuch. These things happen, and I’m told they happen for a reason. Whether or not she’ll be in fighting shape by the morning, well, that’s to be seen… Go on and put her to bed for now.”

For the second time, his lips hung open. “Are you- Are you certain, Cid?” Already, he had started off to take himself to bed (or back to bed, whichever it was). He was already sans his goggles and had considerable dark circles under his eyes for all the effort he had put into opening Syrcus Tower.

_“Lily_ trusts you,” Cid answered with an odd emphasis, making G’raha realize that he hadn’t been too shy about immediately adopting the nickname. As if that alone spoke of their closeness, somehow. 

"And I'd wager she likes you, too... Besides, I don't believe it's the first time our heroine decided to take a nap on you.”

G’raha carefully adjusted his grip on the woman in his arms and turned toward Lily's tent as Cid winked at him.

_‘Ah, no,’_ He thought to himself as he flushed deeper and deeper, recalling the way Lily had drunkenly leaned on him some nights ago. _‘I’m afraid it wouldn’t.’_

Lily’s tent was largely empty compared to his, rarely used as it was, and only left available because one of the original conjurers assigned to the project had caught something bad on day-one. How conveniently terrible that was.

As G’raha knelt and pulled back the swathes of blankets Lilium kept on her cot and laid her on her side, he couldn’t help but feel disdain and guilt for how conveniently terrible the _current_ _situation_ had come to be.

_If he had just… How did she put it? Let her ‘take a real bed so that she wouldn’t wake with crickets in her hair_.’ Even though he had never woken up with crickets or any type of insect in his hair, for that matter. G’raha couldn’t help but crack a small smile at her sarcastic sense of humor, all things despite.

What he really should have done was left her like that, but he couldn’t. It felt wrong to leave her, especially should she suffer or wake confused in the night. He reached and lit the oil lamp by Lily’s cot, and once the room was dyed in warm light, he lingered on her features.

She continued to call herself an adventurer to him, but she was no ordinary adventurer, this _Warrior of Light._ And she was not just any heroine, either. Lily was bright and warm and caring, albeit reserved. Maybe a little impatient at times, but she had forgiven him his missteps more times in the past few weeks than some had ever in his lifetime. G’raha couldn’t help but think how it would have been to have someone like her around when he was but a small child, mistreated by his peers and held at a safe distance by those he would look up to. He thought of her hand on his back, grasping his arm—maybe Lily thought he hadn’t cared too much for it. He certainly hadn't reacted much—but those hands did soothe more than just the pain he felt on the outside.

They soothed the longing. The minor jealousy. The _need_ to not be alone.

And of course, _her touch set him alight. How could he forget that?_ G'raha felt and stirred, and was admittedly too doubtful to act on those stirrings alone. In the quiet moments they shared between readings, he had fantasized about stealing a kiss from her lips and felt shameful for it. He could have done it, and said something impish and tried to play it off, but _nay,_ he’d be no good at hiding his true feelings, well aware of how waxing lyrical he could get just from _sitting somewhere_ and taking in his surroundings for too long. Knowing there was a damned journal in his pocket with actual prose he had scribbled inside in his boredom, from doing just that. Trying to pen those feelings into a proper song and failing so hard at it that he didn't want to even pick up his lute. He couldn't kiss her. He could never. 

While looking at Lily, he registered the slight curl of her brow beneath her fringe that hadn’t been there before. Not long after that, her lower lip began to quiver, and then a whimper followed, confirming the worst of his worries.

So _this_ was the phenomenon known as the Echo... And somehow he had caused it. It was through his words that he had caused her undue pain.

He uttered a foul word under his breath along with an apology.

There had to have been something he could do other than be a nuisance. Even if Lily would fight when she was well, _what would he do?_ G’raha sat and sighed and picked his brain. He didn’t have to think on it for long.

“I’ll be back,” He said quietly to the Auri as if she could hear, and then in a few moments he returned with a handful of references that they had not yet gotten to. He took one in his hands and thought to turn his back to Lily while she slept, but took one more long look at her first. 

“Thank you... For what you have already done for me. For what you will do, yet.”

G’raha turned away and cracked the cover in his lap, rubbing the start of sleepiness away from his eyes.

_‘I regret that there is naught else I can do for now. But this, I can try.’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It always bothered me how many times the Echo was used as a plot device, but I found myself going "really????" when something didn't trigger it. Looking back, this one gets me crossing my arms and stomping my foot for how badly I want that G'raha lore.
> 
> Yeah, game?? You know what??? I'll write it myself!!  
> But yeah, of course, you don't have to accept my ideas. Everyone can have their own! It's headcanon city, we do what we must to fill the content void. :P


	8. Stonefall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Do not run. Do not try to fight. Escape this nightmare. It is a nightmare, after all. Wake up. Escape—

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ARGH, I wasn't able to update this last month, but it's here now..... It's been a time, friendos. xD
> 
> If you have not!! I recommend reading this oneshot I wrote about G'raha's past (very made-up, fill-the-lore-void stuff) before reading this chapter! It's not necessary, but I meant for it to fit in well with this story. ^^  
> https://archiveofourown.org/works/23104576

_“You can_ **_never_ ** _play with us,” The boy spat down at him. His voice reverberated on like it was a long repeated nightmare, cold words worming into his very subconscious and weighing heavy on his heart. The boy had such an angry, scary look on his face, but why? He had done nothing wrong. Only existed. Only wanted to belong in this world, as everyone else did. Why couldn’t he just fit in?_

_It was only a matter of time before hands were swung; one in defense, the other grappling for a wrist, looking to throw him to the ground and make him once again a victim of kindness, of his own naive nature turned against him. Wanting to see the world with the rosy glow of a child, but instead seeing nothing but red, red,_ **_red._ **

_The red gleam of his eye when he saw his reflection in the river. The red, searing anger whenever he could do naught but scream in frustration at his persecutors. The red of blood when he ultimately couldn’t run fast enough from those who chased him with sticks and hit him and tackled him to the ground._

_The weight of that boy hit him like a tonze of bricks, his fist colliding with his right eye with a force that made him see more stars than he had ever seen in the night sky. He promised he would turn his red eye black. It felt like he would. And all while it happened, flailing aimlessly underneath, there was the tiniest portion of his mind that had given up on asking why, and focused on trying to_ **_escape._ **

_Do not run. Do not try to fight. Escape this nightmare._ **_It is a nightmare, after all. Wake up. Escape—_ **

* * *

When Lily finally woke and broke free of the Echo, it was as if she had startled herself once more into existence. The Auri gasped and shot up onto one elbow at first, feeling almost nauseatingly weightless now that the body of another being wasn’t pinning her to the ground. Though her hand instinctively reached for weeping wounds, Lily felt her collar through her robes and her cheek, and found herself unharmed.

It all began rushing back to her at once: her identity, along with the confusion, the disorientation, the dissociation that often came with the gift. Though some spells were significantly worse than others, like now. Lily was frozen for several beats, unaware of how long she was inhaling and exhaling into her hands, afraid that if she blinked she would be back on the ground again and someone would be hitting her in the face. 

_‘I am me. I am Lilium. My thoughts are my own. I’m in Mor Dhona right now, and no one is hurting me. No one else is here besides—‘_

“You’re alright…”

_G’raha._

G’raha’s voice finally registered, present and clear and as his very own, as he removed the book from his lap and turned his body fully toward her. When she saw his mismatched eyes fixated on her, true and striking, it wreaked a sob from her.

“You’re alright,” He said again.

He was right: she _was_ alright. She _wasn’t_ G’raha Tia, and she didn’t have to wake with the painful stinging of his scars (neither inside or out), and she didn’t have to go to sleep at night to the feeling of being hated to death. Yet it was of little comfort to know. It didn’t stop Lily’s hands from shaking over the false memory of that day by the river, nor grabbing at the phantom pain that lurked behind her right eye while she cried. She didn’t even know how the situation ended, having willed herself so violently out of that body. She had never felt so helpless in her life. Terrified, perhaps, but not _so small and helpless._

_‘That’s not fair. It isn’t fair. It isn’t fair.’_ She couldn’t stop thinking it. How could they have treated G’raha like that? Gods, she had been _so selfish…_ So selfish, seeing almost nothing outside her own internal struggles and grief and personal desires—and _blind_ not to see how much this entire journey meant to him. G’raha’s passion was born from pain, independence derived from a childhood of solitude—and even despite how others had treated him back then, he was still so kind and full of life.

His name was all she could muster to choke for a time. She must have looked insane. G’raha wouldn’t even understand why she was crying, or why she had blacked out. Had they examined her while she was out? Had G’raha himself already deemed her unfit to continue? She wasn't the heroine he thought she was at all. What if he was upset that she’d intruded upon his past; something he didn't want to talk about? _Oh Gods, but all she wanted, now more than anything, was to help him…!_

“You were... ah... having a nightmare.” G’raha finally said, his voice uneasy, not so much upset. A different kind of tone that graced him since the previous night, having been stirred about his origins, and it was the same tone he took when he spoke briefly of his past.

_That_ would have been the moment the Echo triggered, as Lily recalled.

“I... was, indeed.” She inhaled a shaky breath, wiping at her eyes, and was able to look at him long enough to take notice of the dark circles under his eyes. The light of day was just sneaking across his face through the opening of the tent, but G’raha looked like he hadn’t slept at all. Or if he had, his sleep had been just as harried as hers.

_Had she done that?_ The next thing she would say would have to be a lie thought up quick, before the intense guilt of G’raha’s eyes forced the truth from her unbidden. All she could think of now was that she didn’t want him to bear the weight of her problems atop memories of suffering. How she wanted to be a steadfast presence beside him, to be a loving friend, and strive harder to be the type of hero that he could've looked up to when he was small. The residual pain in her head was nothing compared to the thought of not fighting through to the end together _._

He had no business having any inkling that her episode was his fault.

“I’m sorry, i-it must have been stress. Perhaps we should have gone to bed a little earlier.”

G’raha’s eyebrows curled with scrutiny, the corners of his mouth cracking into a sympathetic smile one-by-one as he was ready to call her bluff, and again Lily was reminded that she was a terrible liar. At least she knew he wasn't upset.

“It was the Echo, wasn’t it? You need not hide from me what I already know.”

The Auri’s lips parted, caught in her kind lie.

G’raha paused, visibly tired, and sighed.

“‘Tis through the blessing of the ‘Mothercrystal’ that you and yours receive these… _rather somber_ glimpses into one’s past. That innate ability; to perceive the history of one's soul... is at the very foundation of your creed, is it not?”

Lily nodded, her affirmative hum caught in her throat. Shocked silent for seconds with his accuracy. There wasn't much she could keep from the scholar.

She squeezed her eyes shut when she did so, letting the tears flow freely down her cheeks. 

The 'history' of G'raha's soul was so marred, she could hardly believe those memories were his.

“How did you know?”

A shrug.

“I do have a general knowledge of how things work.”

She managed to smile weakly at his playful wording, taking a page out from her. _Still playful,_ still bits of the G’raha she had seen poking through in his childhood, when he must have been no more than eight or nine summers. He was something else, truly. Resilient and eccentric, and there was no one else like him. No one smiled like him, through the pain and the joy. She could learn a thing or two herself. But the more her heart swelled for G’raha in this moment, the more those stained memories hurt to acknowledge.

She balled her fist against her chest and wept.

“They hit you... I’m sorry.” Lily’s emotions were finally cracked open, vulnerable and plain for the Miqo’te to see and emote about. Something that was usually done in privacy, or pensive moments when she was by the ocean, and aptly so. G’raha only seemed to tense more.

“I’m so, _so sorry._ I can’t imagine that was the only thing you went through, and I- I don’t know what to say.”

Lily wiped her eyes again and after a rustle and the bleary imagery of G’raha digging in his pocket, she was surprised to find a soft handkerchief slipped into her other hand at her side, fingers brushing against hers intentional or not.

“I’ve slept next to a fair adventurer and made her cry. I suppose there’s a first for everything, isn't there...” G’raha muttered, looking away when he chuckled darkly at himself and made her do so through her tears. The guilty expression still haunted his face, even when he smiled and flushed and was given the weakest of nudges for his commentary.

“Please, dry your eyes. You need not feel so much strife on my account. I-I feel it is I who owes you an apology, once more. Mayhap if I had perceived the volatile nature of the Echo… _tsk._ My reputation precedes me.”

_‘Does he mean to say he never would've opened up to me?’_

Lily’s chest tightened as she finished doing as instructed, observing as G’raha’s mind trailed off into the unknown, trying to take responsibility for something that neither of them could’ve predicted. There was no way that he meant to hurt her with that statement, but it still stung.

“Raha,” She decided to try for the first time, remembering that she could, and made his ears flinch when he looked at her.

“It happens. Not so often anymore, but it still does, and it’s no one’s fault. Certainly not yours. And if it helps me to understand the people I care about better sometimes, then I’ll endure it… But it’s okay.” She showed him a sweet smile and watched G’raha’s body shift, tail uncurling behind him, releasing some of the tension he had been holding in. Somehow, it felt better for her as well to say it. To look at things through an outside perspective for once, and say _‘it’s okay.’_ She needed that. Everyone needed that, sometimes. Right now, it was liberating.

“I hope you trust me with these memories? And to call you Raha?”

"Of course I do."

The grin that spread across his lips when he raised his head up was more than genuine, and much like the _Raha_ she had come to know. How she wanted to stretch out her arms and wrap them around his broad shoulders... But based on how uncomfortable G'raha looked seeing her distressed just moments ago, she deemed it off the table for now. Perhaps it was too intimate for them. Seeing his smile again was more than enough.

“Well, I can’t say I have ever shared visions of my past with another—even an old, scholarly friend of mine who called me as such, and they had similar talents to yours.”

“Oh?”

“That is to say, I more than trust you, Lily. And by the Twelve, I hope I haven’t frightened you away with the sordid details of my upbringing. They do not impede me, and _in fact,_ I'm inclined to proceed with a certain bull-headedness in direct spite of such memories."

Lily nodded, clearing away the last of her sorrows with the handkerchief, then watched as G’raha chewed his lower lip in pause.

“And in light of your unexpected fainting spell, I would suggest one more thing...“ 

The look the Auri supplied him was immediately suspicious. G’raha shrugged and ignored her, reaching for the text he had pushed aside when she awoke.

“If you’re not well enough to fight today, I’ll not push you. You gave me quite a shock last night, you know.”

Lily squeezed the handkerchief in both hands and shook her head. She’d suspected as much.

“I know. But I’ll be alright.”

He gave her an almost offended look then, beginning to pout.

“Wha-? I believe our comrades would agree that isn't an acceptable response. Will you not take some time to recuperate? I am aware of the threat, b-but you’ve just—“

_“No,”_ Lily interrupted, and G’raha’s eyes widened notably at the sudden sternness of her voice in response to the rather lighthearted one he’d adopted. It was foreign even to her.

“I’m going today. I’m well enough, really! We could be in far more danger if we dally and let Xande muster enough energy within the tower. Besides, I just- I can't bear to let this go. You’re-“ Lily blushed and considered her wording. “... An invaluable friend to me. I feel that you’ve believed in me from the very start, if not long after, and I… I promise I will _not_ let you down.”

The Miqo’te sat speechless for a moment, then blinked slowly.

“Maybe passing out was what I needed, all along?” Lily forced a soft laugh. “At any rate, I got plenty of sleep, and I’m more ready than I'll ever be. I feel like I can do this, with or without the help of some silly old books—Now, _what_ in Llymlaen’s loving embrace are you looking at me like that for?”

G’raha was hung up on _something_ she had said. Maybe all of it. Her behavior, a little too earnest. A side she had never shown to him before. She began to redden as G’raha tilted his head slightly, one ear cocked sideways, and began smirking.

“Spoken like a true heroine, I suppose. Well, perhaps you would like to consult these ‘silly old books’ once more, hmm? I am an expert in research, if nothing else.”

He held up the dark, leather-bound book; one that Lily didn’t recall ever looking at, and he gave it a sort of shake that raised her eyebrows.

“You found something.”

“I said ‘perhaps.’ And _perhaps_ it will clear my conscience if it happens to save your life?”

“Tell me.” Lily sniffled, interest fully piqued.

But instead of opening the contents, G’raha merely tucked it under his arm and stood with a huff. In a second, she was staring down the hand he offered.

“Prove to me you can walk first~ Some fresh air should do us both good.” He stifled a yawn. “I’m still half-inclined to believe you've a head injury.”

Embracing the warmth of his hand, she smiled and stood up slowly but with relative ease. When she tried to return the handkerchief, G’raha’s tail swished and he declared for her to “Keep it!"

"I'd like you to think of it as a promise." 

As for what kind of promise, it was left to a pile of things unsaid as G’raha parted the opening of the tent and lead her through it.

The Auri squinted in the light as the warm sun kissed their faces. Even as more familiar faces greeted her and bid the two of them a good morning (with a few less than appropriate jokes that fluffed G'raha's tail), he kept a watchful eye on her. Whether he was seeing that she didn’t faint again, or whether he was looking for some other reason… she didn’t know.

_So many things, she still didn't know._

But she was looking back through different eyes; ones that clearly saw what she wanted to fight for this time.

* * *

The same eyes didn’t waver as they stared down the mighty being that sat the Allagan throne, her spine to cripple in fear as Xande teleported in a snap so that he was casting his shadow over her from yalms away. It only tingled as she assumed the stance she had a hundred times now, and Lily stood tall as she prepared to call thunder from the skies down around her.

There would be no lonesome victor at the end of the line. Neither herself, nor G’raha. Whether cursed or blessed, they were both cogs of the same machine built for some purpose or another, and the Warrior of Light meant to turn them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *looks at outline* I actually don't know where I'm going with chapter 9 yet but yeehaw.


	9. Covenant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lily’s chest tightened, listening to the hum of magic. She had resolved not to be overtaken by these feelings. The thought of the word, ‘goodbye,’ still stung with the pain of death, and the taste of blood on her tongue. They were words the Auri had never quite learned to make use of, hardly ever choosing to use them in her mother tongue. Always preferring softer things like ‘I’ll see you later,’ ‘goodnight.’ Never something so permanent.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M LATE, I'M LATE FOR A VERY IMPORTANT DATE.
> 
> Ahhh I started this chapter quite a while ago, but I was busy with a couple other things! I spent last month doing an artwork for Exarch zine so you should really check that out if you're on twitter bc the whole thing's gonna be really cool. ;A; /shameless ad
> 
> Anyway! This is def the most canon-compliant chapter I've written and you might recognize plenty of the dialogue, but.... hopefully I've put a unique enough spin on it with Lilium, haha. I never actually intended to do more than snippets when I started this fic, so flow for this kind of thing is ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

When the corrupt Emperor Xande finally fell to his knees, bringing his enormous staff crashing into the floor, Lily was panting as she braced the shock, limbs tingling from the vast amounts of aether she had spent. As she caught her breath, she watched and waited. Waited, and _watched._ Too many times had The Warrior of Light hesitated, been too merciful to deal the final blow and paid the price. There was no need to hesitate here. The tyrant might as well have been a faceless, presumably _soulless_ conglomeration of armor and weaponry, like many of her enemies in the past had been. With the might of magic, she shielded man from the threat of another calamity, perhaps. But the goal in mind was much clearer; the dreams of someone she cared deeply for were right within reach, at the top of this spire. That was enough to drive her to victory.

Still holding her rod in the offensive position, she made certain her enemy’s aether returned to the lifestream whence it came. Telling light soon consumed him, and then he dissipated in the same way that most beings of unnatural circumstance did. _At last, she had granted the eternal ruler the liberty of death._

As adrenaline began to fade from Lily’s body, she was as exhausted as she was relieved.

With the same hands that set about summoning a sun, Xande had utilized the tower’s wellspring of aether to try and smite her with meteors. Thanks to a hot tip, and through the reference of a _very_ ‘ _silly-old-book’,_ the extent of the emperor’s abilities were not the most surprising part of the encounter, and she left a portion of the floor scorched by her own meteors. What piqued Lily’s interest afterward, however, were the dark, tainted energies she sensed pouring out of Xande after he fell.

She knew these energies well, if her assumption was correct. _The voidgate:_ of which she’d learned amply enough of during her time at the thaumaturge’s guild in Ul’dah. Surely, she’d had plenty of struggles with voidsent alone to recognize such a foul aura. But to where did this aura seep, and why atop the Crystal Tower…?

“Lily! You did it! You defeated Emperor Xande!” G’raha’s voice took her away from her musings immediately. Lily pivoted to see him as he emerged and called his name, sprinting toward her with a beaming face, and despite the fact that he had yawned a thousand times before he saw her to the foot of the tower, he still ran like a man eager to claim a winning cactpot ticket. 

When she saw him, she found it well within herself to run to him. Neither of them thought to stop—a combination of excitement and tiredness overriding whatever else the Lily herself had been thinking. So they collided, each throwing out their arms first, with G’raha halting on his heels to receive her weight with the tiniest “oof." Nevermind that she’d been afraid to hug the scholar that very morning; this one was well-earned. Her arms flung up and around G’raha’s neck. He squeezed her momentarily, arms strong and warm around her back. For that split, perfect moment when she settled into him and he let his chin fall against her shoulder, the smell of books and nature and the pleasant scent of _him_ filled her nose. She hoped he was proud. She felt proud.

“You did wonderfully! I wish I could’ve seen you in action again!” He said, filled with elation and a little breathless from his jog to the top. He sort of sounded like a little boy, cute in his giddiness.

“You did miss a meteor shower or two.”

“Did I?” G’raha eased back, taking most of his scent with him when he lifted his head. “Well…!” His ear twitched cutely. As they slipped apart, G’raha suddenly grew a somewhat bashful look, his tail waving restlessly behind him like she had never seen. Lily cocked her head to the side and waited expectantly, but it was as if the words he was about to say had fallen right into the abyss. At long last, she had paved the way for him, but for some reason he was stifling his excitement now. Of course he was tired. The Twelve would know how long he had stayed up researching on her behalf. But the Miqo’te held a long stare, and Lily couldn’t help but notice the gentle part of his lips looking down at her. 

It was like G’raha longed for something. He wouldn’t tell her what it was. Or _show her,_ if he chose to... The glimmer of hope that she held onto, that he might close the distance between them, slowly fizzled out as the seconds grew longer. 

Instead, she feared this was the look of a man who had finally gotten everything he wanted, but was unhappy with it.

Eventually, he cleared his throat quietly, shrugged, and put on a warm grin that quelled about half of her concerns.

“What is important is that the brightest stars yet shine.”

There was little doubt what he meant by that, and his ways of simply spewing compliments like practiced poetry almost annoyed her sometimes, if they weren’t so charming. How they flowed more easily than whatever words were still stuck inside. Sometimes they were teases. But this one felt particularly from the heart, and Lily simply opened her mouth and said the first thing that came to her mind; _“they do,”_ and watched G’raha seem to fumble to grasp it before the sound of their comrades marching the stairs forced their exchange to a standstill.

“I-” He attempted to get a word in edgewise, odd eyes blinking rapidly at her as he tried to think fast, but took a half-step back from her when Cid emerged into the light. As much as Lily wanted to give chase to whatever was on G’raha’s mind, to ask _just what he was feeling_ at the moment—it would have to wait for now.

_And simmer inside, it would._

Coming out into the clearing, Cid had Nero behind him like a prisoner being led by a warden. The latter didn’t look pleased about it (it was a measure of trust even letting the man _near_ the Crystal Tower rather than exiling him or giving him a pummeling outright). But Cid himself looked most pleased, containing his own sort of boyish excitement for what technologies he could get his hands on afterwards. Unei and Doga strolled at the back end of the procession. Their ruby eyes locked with the Auri’s, and they wore gentle smiles of congratulation.

One by one, then, they turned their attentions elsewhere, and when Lily looked back toward the place where Xande had fallen, she gasped to find that dark aether—most definitely of the void, welling up into a knot. Darkness seeped and poured into it. Through and through, it was _a hole_ , a voidgate as she had sensed. And was it… growing? G’raha saw it too, hard as it was to miss, though he might not have been sensitive enough to the aether to _feel_ the beginning of an almost magnetic pull. Nothing else was coming out of it, which was the stranger part. But that feeling was enough to warrant exercising caution, and Lily gently tugged G’raha away at the elbow as she took a few steps back. She was prepared to grab her rod from its perch on her back again, should the direction of that flow change to spew pitch or enemies at them. For now, thankfully, it did neither.

‘ _Gods,’_ she thought. With the horrible creatures she had seen leading up to the spire, it would have been on-par to have the bogeyman himself claw his way into the scene.

“Truly, you are the champion we had hoped for,” Doga complimented once he reached them. “You do not disappoint, Lilium.”

“Ah, thank you!” Lily snapped her head to the side and gave the Allagan man a curt grin while keeping the spill of darkness in her peripheral vision. She didn’t want to take her eyes off of it, especially with G’raha next to her. But she carefully noted that he had a handful of arrows in his quiver, just in case. _Ever eager to be a part of the fight, yet he never really did get to._

“Of course, I wouldn’t have been so successful without Ra-“ A flash of a grin from the side made her heart jump. “Without G’raha, of course.”

Unei stifled a quiet giggle, and noticeably flustered, Lily’s tail whipped. The woman turned her attention to G’raha. “Of course. Though I know curiosity for your eye has left you wanting for martial participation, know that your research has been invaluable to our cause.”

“Thank you.” G’raha was humble, but his eyes and his lower lip seemed to say, _‘It wasn’t enough. This was_ **_my_ ** _cause.’_ And rather than bask in any sort of half-compliment, he looked more than distracted, choosing to focus intently on the other problem in front of them.

“This distortion…?” He finally said, and looked at Lily with a scholar’s curiosity.

“A voidgate. I’m sure of it. This is the realm where voidsent come from.” An ear swiveled to the side to hear her, not looking away again. 

“I’m given to understand that the late emperor channeled not only the tower itself, but that of the void as well?”

“Correct,” one of the clones supplied. “The power that Xande sought to obtain comes from the void— _‘The World of Darkness,’_ our people called it.”

G’raha’s pupils dilated on the gate, much like they did when he was looking at something interesting enough. Except his expression was becoming more intense, eyes narrowing and brows coming down at a hard angle. It was almost as if he expected something to happen. Or as if… someone else entirely called to his attention. Lily couldn’t have even been sure that he had heard the explanation.

When she opened her mouth to ask if something was amiss, the sound of static crackling behind them turned everyone else’s head for but a moment to spy Nero touching his chin, looking pensively at the magitek device in his hand. He casted his gaze up and across them.  
  
“Oh, pay me no mind,” he muttered, and Lily openly huffed at the concept of paying a goon like him no mind. But for the moment, Nero looked innocuous enough, and Cid took up the mantle of criticizing him soon enough for the rest of them to focus on what was in front of them. She was more concerned about G’raha anyway. Wondering what he had really meant to say... wondering if his staring into the literal void had anything to do with what was on his mind when he stared at her, or not. She looked to the siblings for guidance, in the meantime.

“Yes, well. Before our task here is complete, we must either seal the Crystal Tower, or uncover a way to cripple its ability to produce energy.” Doga crossed his arms, his sister adding, “Whichever approach we shall take, I believe it would be in good faith to leave that decision to you, friend.”

Lily gave a nod. Whatever bitterness she first held toward them at the height of feelings were obviously misplaced. _Had they even noticed her cold attitude when they met?_ It was an honor to be trusted as such, even if that trust was only based on stories of past deeds. However, she was only a piece of the tale. The Crystal Tower was G’raha’s legacy, and she wanted to let him have all (or most) of the glory that came with fulfilling it. She would not make that decision without him. If anyone should be the one to write the final chapter, it was him.

Though, for whatever reason the Miqo’te was not his usual self... and instead of weighing in with a lengthy proposal, he stood stone-silent like a cat waiting for a mouse to come out from behind a kitchen cabinet. 

She was eager to test his trust with some questions when they were through with this.

“First and foremost, Doga and I must needs attend to the voidgate.”

“Might I be able to help with closing it?” A pair of shaking heads made Lily frown. Together, and alone, they stepped closer to the mighty throne where the voidgate loomed over.

“Only we of the Allagan royal bloodline can annul the covenant. But worry not, you have done well to play your part.” They reached out their hands then, and Lily watched Unei's chest slowly rise and fall, the clones taking deep breaths as they prepared to work their ancient magicks. Undoubtedly, this was a long awaited thing. Though she couldn’t help, it was satisfying enough to see two individuals from a long-gone civilization finally laying the threat of this ‘covenant’ to rest. 

As rippling fields appeared from Unei’s and Doga’s hands, shining like a mirror and drawn toward the void, Lily’s thoughts began to wander toward a place of darkness, too.

_‘If it comes to it, soon—If duty calls me somewhere else… How do I say goodbye? How could I do it proper?’_

Lily’s chest tightened, listening to the hum of magic. She had resolved not to be overtaken by these feelings. The thought of the word, _‘goodbye,’_ still stung with the pain of death, and the taste of blood on her tongue. They were words the Auri had never quite learned to make use of, hardly ever choosing to use them in her mother tongue. Always preferring softer things like _‘I’ll see you later,’ ‘goodnight.’_ Never something so permanent. Even after they were finished, she would come back to the camp and G’raha would regale her with all he had learned about Allag. They would throw stones in the water and watch frenzied fish mistake them for prey, and they would trade banter and read, and maybe even go for a second try at chocobo riding. Then, they would sit by the fire under a starlit sky and drink mead. Just the two of them. Whatever it was they had together.

And if G’raha was away from her while she was on her adventure, he would be _safe_ from things like wanton attacks on her life, the Scions' lives. No more sticks and stones to dodge… and certainly no swords and arrows and guns and—

G’raha had kept his silence until now, but seemed to regain more of his presence when Unei and Doga tapped their energies, and Lily took the moment of quiet waiting and watching to slip her hand into the Miqo’te’s. Warmth bubbled in her chest as she did so, quickly squeezing G’raha’s palm to a breathy gasp, half-expecting him to flinch or ask her what she was doing. Yet he did neither, only hesitating for a moment before closing his hand around hers while they waited to see if the seal would take. She still had little idea of what was ever on someone like G’raha Tia’s mind, but she couldn’t deny the sensation of him was warm and electric. The act, a wordless understanding in its own right; that their strange adventure was almost over. 

He looked at her from the side at one point, lips parted contemplatively as his eyes gleamed in the sunlight. His shock seemed to have turned to determination. His place was here for now, but G’raha would _be here_ when she returned. There was no need to be mournful. 

_“By our blood shall it be undone …”_ The words were barely off of the siblings’ lips when loud, crunchier static started blaring from Nero’s device. The noise ripped G’raha’s and Lily’s hands apart from each other as everyone whipped around to see the Garlean man laughing madly. He had even managed to break Unei and Doga’s focus, halting their spell. Nero just threw back his head.

“Be still, my beating heart!”

“I should’ve known,” Lily muttered, and contemplated arming herself. She was beginning to wish she had never hesitated at the Praetorium. _Always hesitation,_ leading to even more grief. She chided herself this time.

Nero was met with five accusatory glares. The moment Cid finished demanding insight as to what he was up to, there was another voice that belonged to no one else present. It was a woman’s voice, cold and dark, and deep.

_“The covenant… is everlasting,”_ the voice seemed to reply, somehow almost seductive in its tone, and yet still seething with malice. 

It was like it was all around them, and the Warrior of Light could guess exactly where that voice was coming from. It shut up even Nero’s dubious prattling for the time being, and that was how Lily knew that whatever was about to happen had nothing to do with him. Just then, even as she turned and her hand finally reached for her weapon, the voidgate tore itself wide open in the shape of a scar, hurling a fowl wind at them, powerful enough to make anyone standing nearby stagger on their feet. Lily could hear Doga’s swearing, and not a moment later after catching G’raha’s ear flicking hard to the side, did they find themselves being surrounded by soulless clones— _shades_ even, all bearing the likeness of Unei and Doga themselves.

To the left, to the right, they were all around. To make matters far worse, she had only just recovered from the previous powerful Echo when a new one began bursting through the dam.

“No, no…” She couldn’t fight this one, either. The pressure was growing. She could tell that everyone was retreating away from the gate when the cloud of her headache overwhelmed her, turning her hobble into a nauseous backwards stumble. 

_..._

_Lily didn’t faint. Rather, her consciousness hung in the balance, giving her an aerial view of Xande himself on the throne as if her body was dangling in space. The emperor had an audience of only those identical clones kneeling before him_ — _likely the only supporters he had left, and that would do as he wished without question. The Warrior of Light could hone in on his tired speech as if she knelt with them beneath the pall of his shadow._

_“...With every dream that becomes reality,” he leaned into his fist and sighed deeply, not at all how she expected a once-resurrected tyrant to sound. It was truly tired, almost sad. “... The memory of death grows ever more vivid—an endless void, bereft of light and warmth.”_

_An endless void. A man permanently in the chilling grip of death. Haunted. Empty. Even as his throne was bathed in rays of sunlight, darkness engulfed the Emperor's heart. Lily listened on for as long as the Echo kept her. And then she knew what it was that he desired._

_Nay, she could feel a hint of it resonating inside her..._

…

Lily came to in the moat encircling the main platform, surrounded by cool running water up to her waist. A shiver ran through her, and she made a loud “Ugh!” She was still regaining control of her senses, but she could hear shouting after her, and it sounded like the fighting had already begun. She recovered more quickly this time, getting up off of her bottom in a hurry, a lash of her Auri tail shaking off the water as she climbed back up to the platform. Before she was even up from her knees and able to assess the chaos, a clone rushed her with some sort of aetherial blade. An arrow zoomed forward into its neck and took the clone out mid-lunge, giving Lily the split chance to roll out of the way as it swung and missed, body splashing into the shallow pool behind her.

“Shite… _Shite!”_ Her head and heart were pounding in that moment, inhale shaky as her eyes darted to the only one who could’ve been on the other end of that bow. G’raha had really just saved her life. A fulm closer, or with reflexes any slower, and she could’ve died there. With her friends already in the fray occupied by the clones two-to-one each, G’raha took a calculated risk and bolted through the opening to her.

“Lily! Pull yourself together!” G’raha’s hand clapped around hers and yanked her arm more forcefully than he had ever, pulling her to her feet. She was sopping wet from the ribcage down, Echo headache still lingering. Truthfully, for all that had happened back to back, she felt so tired and taxed of aether that she wasn’t sure if she had another spell left in her. In her peripheral vision, each clone that was slain only beget another. Cid had pulled out a small blade of his own and protected G’raha’s backside while Lily’s fingers trembled useless around her weapon. She could hardly feel the aether in her fingertips, let alone bend the elements to her will.

“I-I can’t.” G’raha canted his head in disbelief and readied his arrow beside her.

“You mean to tell me you cannot—Ah!” He released when an opening presented itself and hit one that was headed for their comrades in time to be intercepted, but sure enough, another clone spawned right after it. Rather than waste time questioning her, G’raha put himself in front of her. He gritted his teeth as he nocked another arrow, the sound of dissatisfaction deep in his throat. “Is there no end to them?! What in the Seven Hells is happening?!”

G’raha was tired, too. She could hear the trace of it cracking in his voice, and see it in the way he missed his target with unsteady hands. Lily tried to remain calm, to focus on tapping her aether reserves, but she was strained. “I don’t know!” She shouted in frustration, squeezing her rod with both hands. G’raha had their backs for now, but for how long? Watching her friends fight was defeating in itself. They certainly couldn’t keep this up forever. And to be protected bodily in such a way…

He made a pained noise then, and Lily’s heart dropped. She recognized that sound before he let the arrow drop from between his fingers and covered his Allagan eye with his palm.

G’raha hissed. “Dammit, not now…”

“We need to go. We- we can get reinforcements from the camp, but there’s no way we’ll win like this!” 

As G’raha slumped over still dangling his bow, he nodded weakly and allowed Lily to wrap his arm around and lean into her. Finally, as if conjuring borrowed strength, she was able to erect a small barrier to deflect a handful of enemy arrows as they hobbled through the mess together. It was like there was no end to it. A constant cacophony of clashing metal, the rush of flame, and a firearm Lily didn’t recognize rang out around them. 

Until she felt the flow of darkness in the air again. Then a cry stopped them dead in the center of the platform.

As if targeted directly by whatever evil spirit lurked within this _‘World of Darkness,’_ tired of waiting while mortals pitted themselves against dolls—Doga and Unei were snatched one by one off their feet and sucked toward the void.

With little thought, Lily made an attempt to run after them, but G’raha wouldn’t let her go.

“N-no! We have no idea what lies in wait there!” He held firmly onto her wrist, still wincing.

That didn’t seem to matter to Nero. He left Cid unattended in a heartbeat, the Ironworks chief yelling at him to _“Wait!”_ But Lily could only watch in shock as he marathoned for the gate before it could close, and was pulled in with storm-like force. That voice sounded again.

_“The covenant shall be honored.”_

The dark clones dropped. Just like that, a dozen fell, disappeared, and were gone without a trace when the voidgate resealed itself. The surrounding aether returned to normal. Moments later, Lily could hear the Miqo’te behind her start to breathe easily; a sigh of relief, of release from whatever was hurting him. He let go of her wrist when the danger was passed.

And then it was just three. Bewildered, confused, concerned. Where there had been raucous fighting only a minute ago, now there was only silence. _Half_ of their number were now hostages.

“Are you okay?” Lily eventually asked Cid, whom had apparently taken a fire attack to his front, as evidenced by his damaged clothing that he brushed at in vain. They thankfully appeared to have smothered the brunt of the attack, with only minor burn marks noticeable near the collar. She began to feel guilty that she hadn’t more strength to protect him. _All of them._

Cid heaved a sigh and nodded. He replaced the retractable blade under his clothing where it had been hidden. “Singed, but otherwise in one piece,” Cid paused for a beat, then huffed. _“Godsdammit,_ Nero...”

What words he would have with his former colleague now, she could only wonder. Although, they had much, _much_ more pressing issues than to waste time thinking about Nero. Other people, who were vital to securing Syrcus so that it couldn’t be used to harm another soul, or to house the dictator of tomorrow. Now, they needed a rescue party, and they needed to find a way _inside_ the darkness-engulfed star to get to their friends.

Lily’s head was spinning from all of it. G’raha traded worried brows with her as they stood in empty silence. She thought to herself, _‘Well, you didn’t want this to end, did you?’_

Cid came and gently placed a hand on either of their shoulders. 

“We must needs explain what happened to Rammbroes right away. And then,” He looked them each over in a way a concerned family member would, and pressed his lips together. “I would suggest you both take a rest— _in your own tents,_ mind you,” Cid added, and for once they were both entirely too distracted to offend about it. G’raha’s jaw remained set in a tense position, ears lopped low. They knew what he meant by it, and it wasn’t so much a joke, this time. He let go and turned his back for them to follow behind.

“I’m afraid we’re zero days accident-free, at this point.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's actually so funny to me that neither G'raha nor the WoL could get it together in the original scene with their Plot-Convenient Headaches. I just had to make it even more in-convenient for Lily by drenching her and adding ~drama~ xD
> 
> If you're still reading, thank you!!  
> (I'll prob come back and edit this into space when my head doesn't hurt lmao.)


	10. A Weight Off Your Shoulders

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ‘It is rude to stare, Raha,’ The words of his father reminded him in the absence of judgment when he had fixed his eyes in the same place (though for once it was not for the purpose of protecting him—he didn’t need that anymore).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This wasn't the chapter I thought I'd be writing today but sometimes you just go with it.
> 
> So since it's been A WHILE since I updated this fic, I thought I would insert this small bit as sort of a re-introductory chapter. Like a bridge, a chapter 9 and a half, if you will.... And to kinda get back into the mindset of the chars pre-ShB. It's got a little recap in it, so hopefully that helps! As far as material goes, there's not a lot. :3

The walk back to the camp had not been the victory march that NOAH had hoped for. It was a sombre one; three pairs of footsteps—three less than what had originally ascended the long winding stairs of Syrcus Tower—dragging on the ground as they quietly reflected on _what had just happened._ Lily, Cid, and G’raha himself left feeling like they had somehow gone wrong in someplace or another. Each step they made forward—each triumph that Lily had bought them all on her own, preceded another setback, it seemed.

_That wasn’t fair._

Tired eyes lingered on the Warrior of Light’s slender shoulders, her head hung relatively low as she likely pondered the same questions. Prepared to lower her tail in front of Rammbroes and take at least partial blame for a situation that, in hindsight, no one could’ve predicted, and was no one’s fault. Not one’s sole responsibility to bear.

Neither was it her responsibility to bear the weight of his troubled childhood into battle. She had done so nonetheless, proclaiming a strong desire to continue the fight for the both of them despite having collapsed into his arms in a fit the night before.

_“I feel that you’ve believed in me from the very start, if not long after, and I… I promise I will not let you down.”_ And then she half-jokingly exclaimed, _“Now, what in Llymlaen’s loving embrace are you looking at me like that for?”_ The only reference Lily had ever made to having a hint of faith in The Navigator being… _that._ Something equally in vain and good humor.

And then, given too much quietude, G’raha’s memory slipped back to the moment in front of the throne, where he had felt the warmth of her hand slip into his, surprising him half out of his weary state. It was strange, and he didn’t think she meant it in any sort of way that _implied something_ . She couldn’t have. But still. The act was most welcome. Most _desired,_ in many ways a lowly historian like himself dared not to express aloud.

But to have them perceived in spite of his secretive nature...

When a quiet sigh exited the archer’s nostrils, Cid’s eyes darted over, happening upon whatever unfamiliar expression was gracing his face while he honed on Lily’s tiny wisp of a ponytail. For some reason, he had chosen that particular place to get lost in his thoughts.

He made an effort to wipe that look away though. Not that Cid had judged him in any way thus far; on the _contrary,_ he often spurred him to act on Lily’s behalf, rather than slap him on the wrist for it like Rammbroes tended to do. Nay, he believed the man only looked at him to check that he was alright, as unusually quiet as he was being ever since looking into the void.

_‘It is rude to stare, Raha,’_ The words of his father reminded him in the absence of judgment when he fixed his eyes in the same place (though for once it was not for the purpose of protecting him—he didn’t need that anymore).

G’raha Tia had really, _really_ become a professional ogler (“observer,” if anyone asked). Historian second.

He would heed his father’s warning from afar for now, he eventually decided… But then, about mid-way back G’raha took notice of the loose fastening currently holding Lily’s staff to her person, and he couldn’t look away. Couldn’t help but observe the way it slipped more and more slack to the point that the rod kept smacking her square in the shoulder blade the more they hiked, and she either didn’t care or was too dejected to notice. Yet it started to annoy him slightly, especially when she let it _clack_ against her horn with abandon. _Ah,_ how she managed to interrupt _him_ from trying to be distracted from _her._ And it had to have been heavy.

... And G’raha was curious now.

“Allow me-”

The Auri startled when he made quick work of the offending equipment and took her weapon into his own hands to carry. 

She looked at him questionably at first, then offered a small smile that was worth more than her words.

“O-oh, thank you.” He flicked one ear, and then they continued on without further delay.

He felt the staff in his hands; not too terribly heavy after all, but enough that it would have bothered him to have been bonked by the adorned metal ball at the tip. This was a different one Lily had returned with than the woodcraft she had when they first met. Less intricately made, and yet he had the sense that this was a more suitable conduit for the _Warrior of Light’s_ growing skill set.

Lest he forget, even if she tried to convince him otherwise; this was something that belonged to a powerful mage. Something of value. And she simply let him _hold it._

_'A naive thing to do for any hero worth their name, no matter how much they may come to trust you,'_ He thought, and then felt at odds with it. He was _changing._ Able to recognize it was a terribly exploitative line of thought coming from someone who held the heroine in question in such high regard. Whom he'd given explicit permission to drop his tribal letter and call him Raha. Only his father and Krile had ever called him that before, but when Lily said it, it felt so very _different._ She could weaponize this and wield it just as easily if she wanted to. She just... probably wouldn't.

G’raha inhaled deeply, letting his ears rise back to their normal place after he realized they had been drooping.

He ran his hand along the grip of the staff and found it smooth, mostly cold, but retaining slight warmth on one side from having been at Lily’s back for some time. Eventually, he gripped it tight. He tried believing that holding onto this weapon would impart him with a shred of the martial wisdom it took to defeat kings. Tried to imagine himself as powerful... and when he couldn’t do that, G’raha pulled in his lower lip and squeezed the rod tight enough in a sudden bout of frustration, that he only hoped it would hold a minute of his own warmth after he gave it back.

_‘That I could come with you on your next journey as promised, and—! Nay, not so soon. We must see this one to completion first... But I would play a larger role in our next move in rescuing our friends. I-I must... This concerns me as well, and I don’t wish for you to shoulder it alone like you have shouldered everything else, my dear friend. Like you have shouldered..._ **_me.’_ **

_And for what reward?_ He had _planned_ a song, to make merry and sing and play his lute for her like she wanted. ‘Twould not have been the cacophanus victory fanfare she deserved for laying the emperor low (or made the earlier battle any easier), but it would have been something.

But the call of darkness addled his brain, and the fatigue of having stayed up all night with only a short nap in between dragged him deeper into a haze. Loathe as he was to admit it (and he was prepared not to), his body cried out for sleep. His conscience berated him for what happened to the others. His eye… whispered secrets yet unattainable. And so for all his desire to give his friend the one thing she had actually asked for, G’raha had never felt more further from the ability to do so.

He clenched the staff in his hands, then adjusted his quiver when the strap started to ironically chafe him.

At the least for now, he would take this small weight off of those shoulders.

When they reached their destination and heads poked out to give them questioning looks over their missing half, G’raha was the first to lock eyes with his Sharlayan associate.

He just didn’t get to speak.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading this fic especially!  
> I've been beating around the bush because uh, I'm really tempted to just keep writing about the later patches but now I'm doing both so I can have my cake and eat it too, HAH. I might even go back and change details from the earlier chapters to fit with my new lore/characterization so yeehaw!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! <3  
> I'm still very self-conscious about my WoL and hope to show more snippets of her emotional development throughout MSQ. As well as more from G'raha's POV.
> 
> I'm a bit nutty but feel free to follow me on Twitter @cactwerk !


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